I'm Still Here!
by Elsie girl
Summary: At last: An update! We've all heard the: 'What if Ron and Harry were turned into babbies' plug, but what if they retained their 17 year old minds? Drama and comedy. Who is the imposter? Find out now!
1. Waking up

**Disclaimer: **I wish I may, I wish I might, own them but I have no right. Harry Potter is not mine and this story was written for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me.

"Harry? Harry?" Harry Potter opened his eyes to a hazy world of moving white shapes. For some reason, everything seemed big. Registering that he was in a hospital of some sort, he opened his mouth to say: "What happened?" and that is precisely where the trouble began. You see, when he opened his mouth, he thought he'd say: "Where am I?" But what actually came out more closely resembled: "E at uwo?"

"Oh good, he's awake."

'Wow.' thought Harry, 'what was that about?' So, he tried again: "Afur oww ut?"

"Shh. Shh. Shh. It's okay, Harry. I'm right here."

'Alright, that's enough weirdness for me, thank you. Why is Hermione talking to me like I'm an idiot. Oh God! Not-brain damage?

"He looks so cute I could just eat him with a spoon!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley.

What the hell?

"Whoow?"

What the bloody hell?

"whoow wee ekk."

My god! I've lost the ability to speak coherently! No!

The small baby, curled up in white hospital crib sheets, began to howl and cry. Upon hearing himself, however, he abruptly stopped. He opened his tearful green eyes and scrunched his cute face in concentration. Even the fresh cut on his forehead wrinkled. Giants peaked over the edge of his cage expectantly. He let out a small wail and stopped. He let out another and stopped. He whimpered and looked around and that is the moment Harry recognized the giants above him as members of the Order of the Phoenix. He recognized the cage as a crib. He recognized exactly what was going on and began to sob. His tiny fists jerked and he kicked his chubby legs angrily. He could not-could NOT- be a baby!

**A/N: **This chapter had been changed and re-posted because of an excellent review! Please review-a few seconds of your day can make mine. I would love to know what you think!


	2. Trying

Diaclaimer: See previous chapter. It's not mine, don't sue.

A/N: chapter one has been altered for the better thanks to the wonderful review by Mist. Things will be more clear if you re-read it. Thanks to all reviewers! Enjoy.

Harry awoke comfortable. Actually he felt more comfortable than he had in ages, but something wasn't quite right. He sucked harder on his thumb, trying to figure it out. Then he reallized-that was it! He was sucking his thumb- Gross!

He opened his eyes and saw, sitting across from him in a rocking chair with his head tilted back in a far less comfortable sleep, was none other than Lupin. He smiled at Lupin for no particular reason and continued to stare.

"Uww-in" His pathetic attempt at calling Lupin was unsuccessful, he surmised.

"Moo-ey" He tried louder.

He reached for the bars of the crib, which he instantly resented. 'Hey' he wondered, 'why do people cage babies like animals?'

He pulled himself up on legs that were surprisingly un-sturdy. They wobbled and swayed underneath his weight in a fashion that made him uneasy. He instantly despised this uncertain feeling. Scared of falling he called out: "Moo-ey! UWW-in!" (A.k.a Moony, Lupin)

Absolutely no sign of life.

Suddenly, his knees gave out, and a very surprised little Harry fell right smack on his bottom. 'That's it!' he thought, and began to cry without shame. Well, mostly without shame.

That's when he finally began to understand why babies cry. Sure, people complain about it all the time, but if they don't know one knows how important what they have to say really is. He had to tell Lupin what happened.

While hunting Horcruxes, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found a spell blocking access to their goal. Hermione had decided that an ageing potion should allow them to slip through the loophole of the enchantment. However, it would have to altered to avoid detection. Hermione concocted it and Harry and Ron took it. That very night, they had returned to the Riddles' new hiding place...

Approaching the archway through the pitch darkness of the underground tunnel, Harry began to make out and outline in the distance.

"It's up here, guys." He called over his shoulder. Why hadn't they thought of this earlier. The safest place, except Hogwarts.

Just then-behind him- a blinding light erupted with a force and brightness that radiated off it. As flames exploded in the cavernous expanse, the three shocked young people turned back to gaze with wide and unbelieving eyes.

"What the-?" screamed Ron into the massive fire.

"Dragons!" Harry noted. So the legends were true... 'So if you seek beneath our floors, a treasure that was never yours,'

"They never chased us before!" Hermione began frantically.

"We were never here to take something that didn't belong to us." Harry hastily explained. "Now run!"

'Thief you have been warned beware, of finding more than treasure there.'

They began to run wildly forward, but after a few moments Harry noticed Hermione footsteps were no longer at his side.

"Hermione what are you doing?"

"Go on! I'll hold the dragon-you two get the Hufflepuff's goblet!"

"No!" shouted Ron, turning back toward the flames and Hermione. She looked unnaturally beautiful illuminated by the fire, Harry had thought.

"We won't leave you!" they both cried.

"Don't do this now! I've been trained, run on or we won't get what we've come for. You have to go on Harry!" Hermione yelled and took off towards the blazes.

"Hermione!" Ron called after her, desperately.

"No." Harry grabbed his arm. "She's right."

They had gone on to the vault and began the spells procedure that would open it for them. When at last, they pried the door off, the purple haze within made them shield their eyes momentarily.

"Here goes nothing." Harry said and ran forward just as he had at platform 9 and 3/4 years and years ago... He felt immense pain and saw the purple light fire off around him like fireworks. His world flipped and his sense blurred. He screamed and reached out to grasp nothing. The next thing he knew, he had awoken in a hospital. Ron and Hermione were no where in sight. He was an infant.

Lupin awoke and all but ran to baby Harry's side. He lifted him out of the crib at once and held him close. Harry stopped crying instantly. He widen his eyes when he began to comprehend how much better he really felt. He hadn't been held like this since his parents were alive. It was so soothing to be gently shook and have a hand caress your back as a soft voice whispered in your ear reassurances.

In spite of himself and his common sense (which was yelling at him to find a way to tell Lupin he was still there-inside) he fell back to sleep.

A/N: Things are a bit different from my original idea but I hope it was pretty clear. Please tell me how I'm doing! I'm going for comedy (as they are babies) but drama (as they still think like adults). Thanks so much for reading!


	3. Visitors

A/N: Thanks a million for the reviews and wonderfull suggestions! I'll try anad make the chapters longer. I should have mentioned before that usually I only up-date once I have two reviews for the chapter (that way I know people are reading). I'm glad that you thought the improvement worked, Mist. I think this chapter answers some of you guy's questions and probably poses a few more. Thanks for the support and don't forget to tell me what you think of this one!

Chapter 3: Visitors

As his eyes opened the third time Harry was a bit more coherent. He knew, for instance, that he had been physically reverted back into infancy. He was also aware of the circumstances surrounding the event that led him to be this way. What he didn't know was what was going to happen to him now or, more importantly, if Ron and Hermione were okay. He needed to find a way to tell everyone he was still there-under the false exterior. He needed a way to go back to his old way. Why hadn't they changed him yet back yet? What if? Gulp. What if they couldn't.

"Good morning Harry!" said a soft faced Mrs. Weasley, bending over him.

Harry let out the tiniest little sigh and looked blankly up at her. Then, for no apparent reason, he reached up his arms. She picked him up out of the crib and hugged him close. Harry rested his head on her shoulder, still groggy.

Lupin, Tonks and Mr. Weasley came in.

"How is he?" Tonks said in a quiet voice.

"He's awake and seems to be doing okay. I was just about to get him ready to leave the hospital. Is everything ready and signed?" she asked the others.

"Yes."

"good. and Remus, you're sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Good." she repeated.

Harry wished he knew what she was talking about. He wished he could see everyone but as it was people hold babies so that they stare over their shoulder in exactly the opposite direction as whatever is going on (unless they're running from something in which case the child has a front row view). Harry was really annoyed but did not feel like crying again for attention. Instead, he listened closely; glad that at least it seemed he'd be leaving the hospital. Why was everyone talking quietly?

"I have no objections to you keeping him at Grimmauld place with you, dear, especially with the arrangement of him staying with us on certain days. I think you'll be the father figure he's always needed. It's just that, don't you think that's a lot to put on your plate?"

"Molly, I'm not going to be Harry's father, or godfather even. I'm just taking care of him until Snape or Hermione can concoct something to change him back into the Harry we know and love. with your and Arrthur's offer to look after him on nights that I can't I'm sure I can manage. As for time, Hermione and Tonks have agreed to babysit when I'm away."

"Oh. Poor Hermione she still blames herself for what happened. There was no way she could have known...but it stills seems reckless in hindsight, doesn't it? Poor dear. No one blames her. I've told her a million times. Now she slaves away along side that Snape, hoping to fix everything with a potion to surpassing you-know-who in cunningness. She's smart, fo course, but she hadn't even healed properly when she went to work on it."

"I know. I'm hoping spending time with an infant Harry might distract her. Who knows? Maybe she'll even begin to feel better."

"I certainly hope so. Oh dear, Arthur. Is he waking up?"

"I think so dear. I'll just go out here and wait."

"Sure. You three go on out and I'll have Harry ready in a few moments." She turned around at the same time they did and a confused Harry found himself facing the sleeping head of another infant on Mr. Weasley's shoulder. An infant that looked vaguely familiar... He had soft wisps of red hair and a few freckles on his round little face. Suddenly realization dawned.

"On!" he squealed. Everyone whipped around, and Harry found himself (to his great annoyance) facing the boring wall again.

"What?"

"What did he say?"

"You don't think that meant 'Ron', do you?"

"Did he just recognize him?"

Baby Harry rolled hs eyes.

"No." laughed Lupin, shaking his head.

"Of course not." joined in Mrs. Weasley. They were all chuckling now. What? Did they think he was a stupid baby? He opened his mouth to repeat himself, but before he could a sharp cry filled the room. Baby Ron was wailing at being awoken. He was loud!

'Geezz, shut it Ron.', Harry thought.

"On!" He tried to get the boys attention but the others had quickly left and Mrs. Weasley had turned him around and placed him on a table on his back. He watched helplessly as the door shut and the wailing quieted.

"Alright Harry." Mrs Weasley grinned down at him cheerfully. "Let's change that nappy."

Uh-ohh.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Please tell me what you think! I take all advie into consideration and thrive on any encouragement. Are you ready to see Hermione, anyone? Any requests, idea, or suggestions? Share. Thanks for reading!


	4. Right Here!

Discalimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: Wow- thanks so much for your all your reviews! I was so excited! Please continue to let me know what you think of these chapters and feel free to share as much or as little as you feel. Okay, this chapter is a more serious one, but its important. Somebody you all have been wondering about is going to show up! Here it is: enjoy!

Chapter 4: Right here!

Harry discovered seventh thing on his list of stuff he hated about being a baby. Number one was being littler than everything and everyone. Number two was not being able to speak correctly. Number three was cribs. Number four was not being able to walk or stand properly. Number five was facing away from the action. Number six was having his nappy changed. Number seven happened to be riding in a stroller.

First of all, he felt like a horse with blinders on as he could only look at exactly where he was headed and then up. If stairs or a ramp was coming, there was no warning. He was latched down and unable to move much at all. For a baby with no experience being a walking teenager, this probably wouldn't have mattered, but to Harry it was very, very frustrating. Sharp turns that made it look like he was about to run into things didn't help either, and by the time the had arrived back at number 12 Grimmauld place, he felt rather sick to his stomach.

"Alright we're here."

"Harry!" Hermione was pulling him out of his stroller and hugging him tightly. "Oh Harry!" She looked at him with tears in her eyes. Harry was taken aback at how she looked. She had aged since the accident and her dark crescents under her welling eyes told the story of many sleepless nights and long, hard days. Probably, Harry thought, nights and days she had spent trying to correct his current...situation. As she coddled him adoringly, he noticed a long, thin scar running down her right arm like a dagger mark. The sight of it gave him chills and he couldn't help but think of it as his fault. 'I let her go back to face the demon beast alone. How could I?'

Well versed in self-blame Harry found his eyes burning with a fresh batch of warm tears. He held them back for Hermione's sake. Studying her reminded him of Lupin. Will life be as hard on our Hermione as it had on his father's dear friend? He sincerely hoped not. He squeezed the finger she hand placed in his miniature palm.

"Oh aren't you adorable! I'm probably scaring you, aren't I? Can I get him something to eat?" She asked someone behind him.

"Of course." came Lupin's reply. "I'll be in the meeting."

She took him into the kitchen and tried to make him eat green mush. He utterly refused. So instead, she got some animal crackers and a bottle. Sitting in a chair with Hermione holding him, smacking on animal crackers, and sucking on a bottle of milk, Harry had to admit he felt ridiculous but he was so relieved that she was alive he didn't mind that much. She told him everything that had happened. Thank goodness for Hermione being a babbler.

He learned that she had recovered her few injuries and that Ron was a baby as well, living at home. Admittedly, Harry was a bit jealous of Ron, but more concerned. Harry wondered if Ron was inside his younger body as well, confused and lonely.

As he wondered Hermione went on to inform him that when the order had received Hermione's call for help, they had found Harry and Ron like they were now but wrapped unconscious in their clothes so at first they thought the boys had been vaporized. Hermione and Snape had been trying to concoct an antidote, but so far the defense effect of Voldermort's spell with the ageing potion seemed to difficult to reverse. She assured him they'd find a way and told him he would be able to play with Ron soon.

'I hope we can communicate.' Harry thought.

Then, Hermione just burst into tears.

"I'm so, so sorry Harry. this is all my fault! I was so sure I could do this myself and I should have known Voldermort would expect that. Now you're stuck like this! I'm so sorry. I hope it wasn't painful." she absentmindedly kissed the top of his soft head. "I'm sorry. And I miss you and Ron so much!" She was practically squashing him now, but he didn't protest. He just didn't have the heart to.

"I've lost my best friends and it's all my fault. Everyone acts like they don't blame me but how can they not? I miss you Harry. I wish you were Harry." She dissolved into sobs again.

'I am here Hermione,' Harry pleaded. 'Don't cry. I miss you too, but I'm right here.' Had he been standing before the mirror of Erised at that moment he would see nothing but himself, 17 years old again, comforting Hermione.

He nestled against her and said it anyway. Of course, she mistook it for baby babble, but that wasn't the point.

"e-otay-me-ninny-i-ere."

She laughed through her tears. "Aren't you so cute." She kissed his chubby little cheek and he smiled, trying to cheer her up. It worked, a little.

A/N: How was it? For those of you who love the comedy-I have written an especaily funny chapter coming up soon. The more reviews, the sooner the up-date-promise!


	5. Just Try the Antidote

Disclaimer: See previous chapters, please. Not mine, don't sue. J.K. Rowling, we love you.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing again! I love all my reviewers. Your comments and suggestions make me happy! I tried to edit this one really well for you guys. I think it's one of my favortie chapters! Please enjoy and tell me how it was afterwards!

Chapter 5: Just Try the Antidote

Somewhere between lunch with Hermione and now, Harry had apparently fallen asleep (again). He hadn't expected to be this tired _quite_ this often but after his bottle, he could barely keep his eyes open. He felt the effects equivalent to that of attending classes and having played an entire game of quidditch!

Looking above him, he spied a twirling wheel that was flashing soft, colored lights and a playing a music box tune. Mesmerized, he stared at it a while and began to decipher that it was actually quidditch players on a carousel. A tiny golden snitch buzzed around them and mini-bludgers knocked the players to peices, but they instantly fixed themselves. A quaffle shot around and occasionally made a goal in the center, dinging merrily.

In his hands he found a silky, soft stuffed animal. The plush felt good against his skin. Lifting it up and examining it, he found that it was a furry black dog about the size of him (or, him now). He smiled his infant smile. "Pa-foo", he said. Aside from the bars of the 'crib', it was actually quite nice; that is until the peace of his room was broken.

The door swung open and a tall, black clad, billowing figure strode in directly at him. 'Wonderful' he thought, 'Snape.'

"Potter. You must take this at once."

"He doesn't understand a word you're saying." Hermione, who had followed him in, chastened.

'Why do they assume this?' Harry wondered. 'Wait, that's it! Snape knows legilimency! Read my mind! Read my mind!'

Harry begged for the one thing he was sure he would **never** beg for.

"Check his mind and see what he remembers!" Hermione nearly gasped out. Apparently, the clever girl had figured it out too.

"I cannot read infants' minds, Granger."

"Ohh." she responded.

'Oh shit.' Harry responded mentally, then added disdainfully: 'I can't even swear properly!'

The next thing he knew, Hermione had lifted him up and put a foul smelling potion in front of his mouth. 'What a horrible green color! It reminds me a of moldy Slytherin common room,' he thought. He looked at her in a manner that he dearly hoped made his thoughts clear: 'No way!'

"Come Harry, please?" She begged. Harry shook his tiny, messy head.

"Alright here's the airplane vrhumm! vrhumm! No? Maybe... here's the seeker coming in after the snitch. 'Here I go!'" she said in a high pitched voice. "'Wee!'" Harry tried really hard not to laugh at her, not so much out of courtesy as to keep her from thrusting that slop in his mouth.

"Harry Potter of Gryffindor sweeps the field and- yes! He's seen it-dives in for a spectacular save but...Gasp!" Harry was a little impressed by her enthusiasm while Snape, behind her, looked nothing short of appalled.

"Could it be? Yes, the youngest quidditch player in century is a attempting the Wonki Fant!"

That did it! He opened his mouth to tell her- for the millionth time- "Wronski Fient!" The trouble with this plan of action was, however, that, well, he opened his mouth. The spoon slipped in with Snape's handiwork atop it, which was as cold and nasty as the master himself.

"Swallow Harry, please?" He did, but only out of a great and deep kindness.

Nothing happened. Then, he began to feel very funny. It was a very odd sensation. There was something warm and tingly about it. 'Am I changing back?' he wondered, hopeful.

"Well?" Snape demanded impatiently. Hermione cocked her head and then turned Harry around.

"No change, but his nappy's wet."

'Oh. So that's what that was.' Harry thought. He giggled, embarrassed.

Snape didn't dignify it with an answer. He just left.

'Thank God for that, at least.' Harry was mentally greatful.

A/N: Well? Tell me what you liked, what it needs, and what you want to see next! Tell me anything-just review! Would anyone be interested in seeing young Ronald?


	6. Tears and Laughter

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. I wish I may, I wish I might own them but I have no right! ohh-and the song ain't mine either!

A/N: Thanks to my many wonderful reviewers. Several of you had good questions and some excellent suggestions as well! All of you had really nice things to say: thanks you! I appreciated all feedback and readings. Also I hope I answered some of your questions in relpys-if not ask away. I made this one a little longer just for you C.M. Harrison. Please keep reviewing-I'll keep up-dateing!

Chapter 6: Tears and Laughter

As Harry was carried downstairs, he twirled his fingers in Hermione's hair. He wasn't sure why he was doing it, hair just seemed fascinating and it felt really cool. Beside, Hermione didn't seem to mind.

Once downstairs, Harry found himself being handed over to Lupin who looked down at friendly and asked: "How are you feeling now Harry?"

"Dood." Harry answered. He was startled to find everyone laughing at him. The entire Order was apparently wrapping up a dinner meeting. Harry had missed all of the new information, he mentally noted. However, what really concerned him was the way he was currently feeling. All the people that used to respect him and expect so much of him were laughing at him. They were making fun of him! It wasn't Harry's fault he couldn't speak like them.

"How's he been?" asked Kinglesy.

"Very good, so far." Lupin answered.

"He sleeps and eats well. He's not fussy or anything." Hermione chimed in. Harry mentally thanked his loyal friend.

"No luck with the potion, eh?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"No." Snape answered. "And the one with your son didn't work last week. The second we have another I'll bring it to you. Then Harry can try the next one and so on."

Harry began to feel flustered with irritation. He couldn't help the feeling rising up in him when others spoke about him as if he weren't in the room. Not knowing what else to do, he sniffled.

"Do you think we'll be able to turn them back?" came the voice of Mr. Weasley.

"Do you think the spell itself will last?" Added Tonks.

"Yes, and yes. Voldermort would not punish someone trying to destroy a piece of his soul only for a while. I think Mrs. Granger and I will be able to un-do the damage, but it will take time. I need everyone's patience. The whole war isn't Potter's to fight anyway. He will be easier to protect this way."

For a while everyone was silent, unsure of how to take it. Then Kingsley offered, "Perhaps he'll enjoy himself a little."

"I know I'd like to be a n infant for a while again." Bill spoke up.

"He's zuch a lovely bavy." said Fluer, adoringly.

"I'll bet he's trouble!" Said George with a knowing tone. They laughed-again-at him.

The rest of the meeting went on as if without Harry as he sat right there upon Lupin's lap, having mashed potatoes stuffed into his mouth. He grew full with dinner and fed up with his situation.

"I think we should do blah blah blah." someone would say.

'No.' thought Harry 'Do yada yada.' But no one heard him.

Harry pushed the spoon away and sniffled and whined.

"I'll take him up-stairs." Lupin stood up.

Everyone said their goodbye and began clearing out. Hermione kissed him goodbye and Harry wondered: 'Where's she off to?'

Before going, Mr. Weasley and Professor McGonagall came to Harry, but he hid his little face in Lupin's shoulder.

"He probably doesn't remember you." Lupin said. "I was around him when he was a child and Hermione and Mrs. Weasley probably remind him of his mother." he explained.

"Ohh." They sounded disappointed. It wasn't true of course. Harry knew he was being irrational, but he was sort of mad at them for mocking him. Upstairs, in a sitting room, Lupin tried to rock Harry to sleep, but Harry wasn't having it.

"Wahh!" he bawled at the top of his lungs. "WHAAHH!"

"Shh. There, there Harry. There, there."

'Why can't you understand?' Harry cried in frustration. 'Why? It's me in here Lupin! Me-Harry!'

After about ten minutes Harry's lungs felt sore from belting out this crying fit, but he wasn't going to let up any time soon. He hated feeling so helpless. What if they couldn't fix it? Ginny would marry while he went to preschool. Ron would lose Hermione. The war would be fought while he took naps and everyone he loved he would out-live.

Suddenly, Lupin stopped trying to calm him and held him up before his face. He made the god awful most stupid face Harry had ever seen and then practically spit all over him. 'What was he playing at?' Harry took a deep breath and screamed.

"Oh Lord." said Lupin. "No, don't cry." He bounced Harry up and down until he felt his last 'meal' coming up and then placed him down. Harry was shocked at how much he insticntly wanted to be held again. But Lupin had walked away.

'What?' he thought, 'No! come back. I'll be quiet. I'll be good. Don't leave.'

Remus Lupin had not left. He was fiddling with something in the corner of the room. It seemed to be a phonograph of sorts.

"Well, here goes nothing..." he said as he started the record. "It's worked once before."

The song began to blare from the speaker and a startled Harry stopped was he was doing as Lupin began to twitch oddly. The speaker screamed: "Whoa! I feel good!"

What was this man singing about with the brass band, why was he felling so good, and what was the matter with Lupin?

"When I hold you in my arms, my love won't do you no harm and I feel nice like sugar and spice."

"Moo-ey?" Harry cooed tearful.

"So nice. So nice. Cause I got you! I feel good...knew that I would..." Lupin was singing along. Wait-Lupin was-oh no. He was?

This had to be the funniest thing Harry had EVER seen! Lupin was dancing like a fool; spinning on his heal and head banging and -good lord!-shaking it like a salt shaker! Harry cracked up. Lupin smiled at him and turned up the volume. While watching Lupin continuing to 'brake it down' Harry squealed with laughter and clapped his little hands. All of the sudden, Tonks came in the door with a look of greatest shock.

Lupin stopped what he was doing and looked like a deer in the headlights, or werewolf, whatever. Then, without warning, he grabbed Tonk's hand and spun her around. He brought her back to him and they danced together a few steps. Tonks was not the best dancer, but she looked like she was having the most fun she had in ages. Harry chuckled like mad and clapped his little hands again. Tonks spun again and again and then spun out of control. Harry squealed as she fell into the couch. Lupin laughed aloud as hard as Harry had ever heard.

He picked up baby Harry, grabbed his hand and danced with him, leaning back ward and forwards, bouncing, and occasionally twirling in a circle. As Harry giggled uncontrollably in Lupin's arms, he was surprised to realize that this was seriously one of the best times of his life.

A/N: I was laughing when I wrote this! I hope you laughed too. Please let me know what you thought of it. Next chapter: Baby Harry, Meet Baby Ron.


	7. Baby Harry, Meet Baby Ron

**Disclaimer:** Please see previous chapters. 

_**Important A/N:** So sorry for the delay! If you checked my profile that I up-date you'd know I had a hand injury and couldn't type. I was also having a lot of trouble with this chapter, but the next one's coming pretty easily. I could really use reviews on this. I went through about 3 or 4 versions of this chapter. I tired to make it longer like last time too. Thanks for your patiece, your reading, and reviews! It means a lot. also, those of you that like this story, would you please check out my other story "Who Framed Hermione Granger?" I'd love to know what you think! It's almost finished. Well here it is...Ron!_

**Chapter 7: Baby Harry, Meet baby Ron**

Harry was being forced into the stroller again. He cried and protested, but to no avail. According to Lupin he was: "Going, little lad, whether you like it or not." Apparently, that was that. Harry huffed until handed his "Pa-foo."

"Say 'bye-bye' to Tonks, Harry."

Not about to be rude to his buddy even in his bad mood, he waved. "Bye-bye."

"Bye Harry."

And they were off. They stepped into the London street and hailed the Knight Bus just around the corner (where it the area was certain to be deserted). Once on board, a new conductor smiled merrily down at infant Harry. At the strange look, Harry vaguely wondered: 'Why is she gawking at me like that?' Then he remembered, 'Oh yes, that's right. I"m a cute little baby.'

"What's his name?" she asked the part of Lupin's head he could see.

"Harry."

"How old is he?"

'17,' thought Harry.

"Just about 18 months." answered Lupin instead.

"He's beautiful."

"Yes, thank you."

'I'm beautiful?' thought Harry. One thing was for sure, in the last week he had been a baby he had recieved more compliments than the rest of his entire life. Here's to looking on the bright side.

The ride wasn't long and when they got off they were strolling down a country lane in seemingly the middle of nowhere. Lupin kept checking his watch. "Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. We're going to be late." he worried aloud.

"Ut?" Harry asked. 'He sounds like that rabbit on Alice in Wonderland. I haven't seen that in years. Good film I'd like to se-No! No I don't want to watch a children's movie. I'm 17! 17! Remember Harry, remember!'

"Harry, forgive me. We've got to speed up." Lupin stopped the stroller, climbed onto the back, and with a flick of his wand- Harry was startled to find- they were zooming down the lane. At first, he thought something was wrong and let out a cry, but then he realized how incredibly cool this was and dissolved into giggles. As did, sad to say, one Remus Lupin. Harry, during his jolly squeal, thought he heard a voice behind him let out a 'Ya-hoo!'

Just over the hill, Harry was met by one of the most welcome sights of his life. A somewhat shabby but extremely charming little house, floor after floor piled on, plush, chaotic yard and wonderful sign reading: The Burrow.

Apparently, it was the night of the full-moon. Harry was looking forward to this evening with the same amount of fervor that Lupin was dreading it. Poor Lupin. However, this evening he would be able to talk to Ron! Well, at least he hoped he'd be able to.

As they arrived at the burrow and found a, once again, bawling young Ronald. Harry looked around wildly for him as Mrs. Weasley greeted him enthusiastically, to say the least. With the exception of being so frustrated, this week had not been so bad. He was treated much in the same way that Dudley had been when the two of them were younger. He had actually felt loved. Although he would never allow himself to admit it, however lonely he may feel waking up in a cage in the middle of the night, Harry also felt far less stressed as he could not be expected to do everything; not to mention, he rather liked milk.

The next thing he knew he was hugging old Mooney bye and being placed in a playpen. In other words, they dropped him in another cage. Looking at the red headed child playing with blocks, Harry waited until the adults were out of ear shot.

"On?"

The child stopped playing and immediately looked up wide-eyed. "Awwy?"

"On!"

"Awwy!"

Little Harry tackled little Ron and they rolled over.

Green eyes boring fiercely into soft brown ones, baby Harry thought very, very hard: 'I missed you Ron.'

'I missed you too mate.'

'Wow. What was that?'

'You mean... you actually heard me?'

'Yeah.'

'This is bloody brilliant. We can read each other's minds!'

'Excellent. Have you had any luck getting anyone to notice its you?'

'Sort of. Yesterday I was trying to play chess and,'

'Hang on. You were playing chess, as a baby, and they didn't catch on?'

'Weird isn't it?'

'Really. Who knew they could be so smart and thick at the same time? The only people I know that wouldn't catch on to that would be Crabbe and Goyle.'

'I know. But, you see, the twins were babysitting me. Anyway, I got mad because I clearly said 'Knight to E-5.' And that blood knight went to D-5. D-5! So, naturally, I threw a complete fit. After I got the pieces everywhere, Fred said the strangest thing and I...'

"Well, hello there." came Fred's voice from above their heads. They looked up open mouthed (in a cute way).

"Baby Harry, meet baby Ron."

"George, Fred. There you two are. Look, I want you to babysit the boys while I run for groceries and do some things around the house, alright?" Without waiting for an answer, she handed over a baby to each twin and left.

"Hello there, Harry." grinned George mischievously. "Want to have some fun?"

The twins idea of fun was not something even baby Harry wanted to be involved with. However, he was pleasantly surprised. The boys took them outside and sat them on broomsticks with them. They glided, held tightly, inches above the ground. Of course, to Harry it was almost as exciting as flying again. Afterwards, they headed in for dinner.

Dinner, beside Ron in a high chair with the entire Weasley family, instantly became one of Harry' most pleasant memories. The meal its self smelled wonderful, for starters. It tasted even better. The company was even better. It was so comforting to know that even in the midst of war, the family dinner table could still be a place of warmth and familiarity. It was as if the dark night outside pressing in on the windows was actually the dark world that was just as close and foreboding. In spite of everything, the Weasleys were loving, trusting, and kind. It made Harry realize how important family really was and in that moment he was glad for this curse. What with the final battle approaching and all his family being killed, he thought he should understand what it was he was fighting for and enjoy a little of it in case...well, just in case.

At night Harry was given a bottle an unreasonably earlier hour and he and Ron were placed in an enlarged bassinet. Lying on his back Harry turned to his pal and messaged: 'Ron. I have a Hermione idea.'

'You mean a brilliant one, huh?'

"Exactly.'

'Where is she Harry? Is she alright?'

'Yeah. You've seen her.'

'A few times, but she won't stay long.' he paused then decided to add, 'She won't hold me.'

'She never held you before.' Harry teased.

'Harry you git!' baby Ron pinched baby Harry, who let out a cry, only to be comforted by Mrs. Weasley immediately. 'Sorry.' Ron offered.

'It's alright. Natural reaction.'

'Sure, you big wuss.' Baby Harry pinched baby Ron who let out a cry and was instantly soothed as well.

'Okay, let's hear it then.' So Harry messaged his plan to Ron and Ron responded with: 'You think it'll work?'

'You got a better idea, Won-Won?'

'Shut up Harry.' he laughed. Harry laughed a little too.

'Night Ron.' messaged Harry, as he cuddled up with 'Pa-foo'.

'Night Harry.' Ron yawned.

_**A/N:** Well? I'm nervous about this chapter so, please, tell me what you think! Again, thanks for being so patient!_


	8. Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

Discalmer: Harry Potter is not mine. This makes me no money. Please don't sue.

A/N: I owe everyone an appology for the delay. I'M SO SORRY. There were many reasosns; computer trouble and school being a couple, but writter's block being the worst. Not to worry, the rest of the story is planned out in a timeline, but I'm still open to suggestions if you have them! Thanks so much for your pateince and past reviews! It meant a lot and I hope you continue to give this story a chance. Last chapter, a few people mentioned an error with Ron's eye color. My mistake! Anyway, here's a new long one for your enjoyment!

Chapter 8: Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

No one at the breakfast table suspected that while Harry and Ron clawed at their breakfasts with pudgy little fingers, they were also communicating mentally a series of complex and important messages regarding Harry's plan. They now had it divided into several different phases. Phase one was about to begin.

As fun as some elements of infant life may be, they were needed elsewhere and if they could just communicate their thoughts to others they could at least tell them what they had come across... The unsuspecting victims of the babies' mischief were chewing on their sausages and trying to wake themselves up. Yawning widely, the twins bore the news that they would be watching Ron and Harry again today. There was an order meeting and Lupin was not feeling up to taking Harry home yet.

Harry felt bad for his new guardian, but also heaved a sigh of relief as that would progress their plan greatly. He hoped.

As Ron and Harry were lifted out of high chairs and placed upon a rug on the floor they looked at each other and winked. No one noticed, but phase one had begun.

Ron reached for and set up the chess board. Then Harry and Ron began playing chess. They waited like this for a while until Fred and George stumbled lazily in and collapsed in chairs. Then they saw what they were doing and jumped up like they'd sat on tacks.

'Bingo!' Thought Harry.

"George, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"My God! I think I am."

"Ron?"

"Harry?"

"What on earth are you doing?"

The litter boys just grinned.

"You can't play with Dad's good chess set or you'll break it! Put that piece down -NOW."

Harry and Ron's eyes widened considerably. Neither needed to send the other any messages because what they were thinking was clear: how can anyone be so stupid?

Then, they were locked away to their playpen. It took only a few hours of playing with simple toys and rolling around for the boys to get bored. It took only a few minutes more for them to get extremely bored.

Ron looked at his friend and thought, "I'm going to go mad in here!"

"Me too."

"Should we try crying at the top of our lungs until they take us out of here?"

"I don't see why not."

So, naturally, the two began bawling hysterically. The twins rushed over, thinking something was dreadfully wrong. For the next few hours, it is fair to say the boys took full advantage of the situation and made Fred and George run like slaves. The pair then proceeded to demand each and everything their little hearts desired.

While trying to calm the two small children, they had left the kettle unattended on the stove. Harry winked at Ron and the two continued the fit and the kettle boiled over, unbeknownst to the twins.

Suddenly, it let out one of those god awful screams.

"Ahh." growled George in frustration as he all but tossed Harry into Fred's other hand and ran to the kitchen.

As Fred was trying to quiet, and not to mention balance, both babies there was a knock on the door.

Ron and Harry paused in their hysterics for a moment in surprise.

"Did you do that?" thought Ron.

"Nope." said Harry. "This is going better than expected."

Fred told George to get the door, who told Fred to get the door, who yelled that he had his hands full to George, who was also very busy and cursed him to hurry and get the 'so and so' door. Fred made his way less than gracefully to the door and opened it with no wanded magic. It was pretty impressive.

The babies again stopped their wailing when they caught sight of the guest. There, standing feet before them in the doorway, was none other than Hermione. The twins looked as relieved as the babies.

"Hermione!" breathed Fred, with tots teetering precariously in his hands.

"Let me give you a hand." she immediately offered with a friendly smile.

Hermione seemed to posses that womanly quality of being able to accomplish all the things Fred and George had struggled hectically with, calmly and efficiently. It would have been a little annoying, if they had any energy left to be annoyed.

Hermione was dressing Ron for the outdoors before she left and Ron was staring up at her. He had a funny, mesmerized expression. Harry wondered, looking across at him, if he were being hypnotized. Hermione was not aware of this or gave no sigh of being so. She babbled and cooed, putting on his infant jacket, and bending far down over him.

"What are you doing Ron?" thought Harry.

Ron's little hands were reaching up at Hermione. She smiled at him and put her arms around him to start to pick him up. Harry thought he wanted to be held, but then-at the last minute-he realized.

"No way!" he thought. Then it happened.

"Ow Ronald!" yelped Hermione. In the tiny ball of Ron's fist was a soft clump of wispy brown hair, held tightly. Hermione then pried his little fingers off and handed him over to his brothers.

Once outside, Harry messaged "Nice going mate! I didn't think you'd actually pull Hermione's hair."

"To tell the truth I couldn't really help it. It just looked os soft and glittery."

"Weird." said Harry, screwing up his face.

Playing hide-and-seek in the yard with the twins was an interesting game. Mainly because it was with the twins and also because gnomes kept chasing Harry out of his best hiding places. Sick of it, Harry looked around for a plan. Peeking over the fence he saw Mrs. WEasley hard at work in the gnome free garden, harvesting vegetables.

He needed to get their attention. Then, once he had the floor, he could explain everything at last. Lupin was supposed to be there at any moment. He must think fast. While Ron distracted to twins, Harry walked to the terrace and began climbing. Granted, it was not the most brilliant of his ideas, as his legs were not that sturdy, but desperate times do call for desperate measures.

"I found you!" said George. "Where's Harry, Ron?"

Ron, looking behind his brother, giggled and answered: "Awwy wen to da mooon."

"Did he? And when will he get back?"

"I dunno." chimed little Ronald and giggled mischievously.

Once 'Awwy' had scaled half the house at a snail's pace, Fred finally spotted him. He shouted and darted forwards. Harry, for no particular reason and with very little will, found himself quite suddenly on top of a very high roof. It had happened once before while running fro Dudley's gang but it startled him effectively nonetheless.

"My God!" Fred exclaimed. "Get mum or he'll fall. No don't-we'll be in trouble. Well, go ahead. No! Wait!"

"Of for God sake's just go and get him."

"You go and get him.

"Fine. I will."

George grabbed a broom from the shed and flew up to roof. Harry backed up unsure of this new, angry look on the Weasley's visage.

"Come here at once you little brat." he demanded.

"Uh-uh." Harry scrambled further. Now dangerously close to the edge, Harry looked down and felt a little dizzy. It's amazing how much safer a slim piece of wood between your legs can make you feel.

"Harry." warned George.

Harry took once step back and saw George's eyes get wide.

"Harry." he whined.

Unfortunately, Harry's legs were not up this long of a journey and promptly gave out below him. Scared, but to scared far too scream, a soundless young Harry fell many feet from the Weasley's roof and into the garden dreading the terrible and painful fate that await him a just a few long seconds away. He wanted their attention, but this was too much. In a cold sweat, trembling, starring at a beautiful sky mocking his certain death, Harry reached for the twin staring, horror-struck, down at him for a few more fractions of and instant. He hoped and reached in vain, as absoltuely and undeniable afraid as he had ever been.

"So this is how it's going to end?" he wondered.

But, the horrid impact did not come. There was a bottom-busting plop and a an angry sea of lettuce and carrots.

"Harry, dear," came the sweet voice of Mrs. Weasley. "Whatever are you doing in the garden basket?"

A/N: Well, how was it? Thanks for reading, please review. Again, a thousand applolgies for the delay.


	9. The Great Mystery of Baaboo

**Disclaimer: **See previous chapters.

_**A/N:** Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed and were so pateint! I really appologise for the huge delay agian. It really couldn't be helped. There were outside delays and I was trying to make it long like many people requested and had problems. The next few may be shorter, but I know where this is going. The next cahpter is already half-written so it will come quicker if you review. I hope your are still interested and that you enjoy this chapter!_

**I'm Still Here!**

**Chapter 9:** The Great Mystery of Baa-boo

Harry and Ron were behaving. They really were. It was really, very boring. All of their attempts thus far to alert their friends and guardians to their true nature had failed. In fact, they had failed miserably. However, there was still one tiny little thing they hadn't tried. It was odd, to be honest. It would certainly be tiring. What's more, it was a long shot in the book of long shots. It also happened to be their only straw left to pull.

"Shall we?" asked Ron, as he watched Harry have cabbage pulled from his hair.

"We shall." Harry sighed.

"If it doesn't work?"

"I don't even want to think about it." He replied grimly.

"Would we be babies forever?"

"No." said Harry thoughtfully. "See, we were reverted back to infancy. Still, unused to the bodies we had, we were forced to learn how to walk and we'll have to learn to talk again, but we are aging. We'll just go through all of adolescence again."

"Oh." said Ron, his funny face showed his apparent ambivalence regarding the situation matched Harry's, but Ginny thought the funny face meant that Ron needed to be burped.

"G-G-G-iiii-n-n-neee. S-t-t-tooo-p."

Harry giggled in spite of himself and his current mood.

Finally, Lupin came to pick up Harry from the burrow. Although sad to leave, Harry had to admit that his stay had been adventurous and, as a result, tiring. Lupin, looking wan himself, picked Harry up, cradled him fondly, and humming to him and his bags were piled onto the stroller. Harry fussed and turned his head away, insisting to get through the word: "No."

"Sorry laddie, you have to go in the stroller. I can barely carry myself to the bus stop, let alone you and all your things separately."

It was true. It's odd how babies can be so small and have the most stuff to carry along with them. Actually, Harry thought, his diaper bag probably weighed more then he did. To suit good old Lupin, he obliged (secretly hoping that if he cried later Lupin might put on another show).

He waved bye-bye to the Weasleys's and began his journey home. Once aboard the Knight Bus, he thought it best to get down to business. So, the trouble began with one small, harmless little word:

"Baa-boo." said little Harry.

Miles away, back at the burrow, Ron and his family were trying to have a dinner. The dinner table in such a large family can become rather a war zone rather quickly. The twins and their mother were having a disagreement. That alone was enough to be getting on with. Bill and Charlie were picking on Ginny, in fun, and laughing loudly. Mr. Weasley was trying to talk over them (not to mention the masses of food piled on the table) in order to carry on a conversation with Ginny. Ginny was nodding and pretending to be listening, fascinated, to her father's discovery of the digital watch. Long ago, she had given up trying to hear a word he was saying.

'Smile and nod, ignore the boys, hand Ronald his pacifier.' she told herself until...

Ron began bawling, and everyone tried to comfort him.

"Ohh. What is it, Ronald? What do you want?" Everyone grew quiet and Ron said clearly and precisely:

"Baa-boo."

"What did he say, dear?"

Back at Grimauld place, Lupin was frantic. Baby Harry would not stop crying. I don't know if you've ever been in charged of a baby that won't stop crying, but is will make even the stoniest hearted people worry like mad.

"What is the matter with him?" demanded a voice across from Remus. It was none other than the stony-hearted creature I was discussing earlier, also known as Severus Snape.

"I don't know. He doesn't need to be changed, he's been feed, and he won't go to sleep."

"Have you tried rocking him?" Remus, cocked an eyebrow in spite of himself. For a moment, he thought of asking Snape if he wanted to attempt it, but he decided not to risk it. Snape had been as close to pleasant as he had ever since returning to the Order, and he'd been down right tolerable since Harry and Ron's condition came into play.

"Only a million times." He went with that safer answer. Severus looked vexed. Maybe the baby's crying was getting to him, or maybe there was something of concern for the little guy there. After all, no one (apart from the dark lord) could loath an infant. It was possible, Lupin concluded, Snape felt guilt. In fact, he did, though Lupin did not know it; at least, not all of it.

After saving the life of the young man, and having them in return save him from prison, seeing him in such a state tried a part of his soul, whether he wanted it to or not. The truth was, Severus Snape could not fight his feelings as well as he could hide them.

As the baby continued to cry in Remus' arms, he was audible and calm enough to let out two words. Actually, they weren't even really words. The two were fairly certain that Harry was repeating fervently the words: Baa-boo.

At the same time this was going on, Ron was having a time with his family as well. Each were arguing, being the mood they were all apparently in, what they thought Baa-boo meant. The chaos that ensued was nothing short of ridiculous. You see, each of them thought they had something, and all of them were dead wrong.

" Well, we figured out it's not bottle."

"I think it's clear as day that he wants a baboon," announced Fred. "Or a balloon." He added as an afterthought.

"Sound like Bamboo to me." offered Charlie.

"Sure it _sounds_ like it but what on earth would a baby want with bamboo?" Fred demanded.

"You're nutters." chided George. "He wants a tattoo. Don't you mate? A big scorpion on your back to make all the girls go-"

"George!"

"Mother! Are you saying I resemble a scorpion?"

"Don't be ridiculous. That's not what I meant at all and you know it!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, yet again, and said: " I think he wants a shampoo. He certainly needs it after playing with the twins all day."

"Hey! I resent that!" snapped Fred.

"He's as clean as you are." added George. Ginny stuck out her tongue, maturely.

"Perhaps he has to go the bathroom." proposed Fluer.

"No."

"He's in a bad mood?" asked Arthur.

"Obviously." said Bill.

"Well, what is it?" asked Mrs. Weasley, as Ron dissolved into the most pathetic tears you've ever seen.

"Baa-boo!"

"What is Baa-boo?!" They all demanded.

Lupin, Tonks, Hermione, and Snape had absolutely no idea.

"Perhaps. He is referring to a bad book you've read him." Tonks offered.

"I doubt it."

"Well, you come up with a better answer."

"Maybe he ate some bad food?"

"Nope."

"Has a bad boo-boo?" Snape tried. Everyone looked-no- _goggled_ at the potions master.

"What?"

Although none involved could have been aware, they were all currently engaged in solving the great mystery of baa-boo. All Harry and Ron could do was be **impossible** and repeat themselves and pray that their master planned worked. If it didn't, the outlook was as grim as Trelawney's tea leaf reading session.

_**A/N: **So, please leave me a review. Anyone who can guess the meaning behind "Baa-boo" will get a preview of the next chapter which, I PROMISE, will come much sooner than these last few. Thanks for reading!_


	10. The Nature of Truth

_**A/N:** You guys are amazing! All I can say is: thank you, thank you, thank you for your support! I hated putting this story on hiatus, but writer's block was killing me. So many of you posted the most wonderfully encouraging reviews, I simply had to go on. The chapters are going to be fairly short, but hopefull have good content as I will continue making it drama and comedy. Expect an up-date every 5 days or so! Thanks again, I hope you enjoy it, and please review!_

**I'm Still Here**

**Chapter 10: **The Nature of Truth

As I said, all of baby Harry and baby Ron's attempts thus far to alert their friends and guardians to their true nature had failed. In fact, they had failed miserably. However, there was still one tiny little thing they hadn't tried. It was odd, to be honest. It would certainly be tiring. What's more, it was a long shot in the book of long shots. It also happened to be their only straw left to pull. And so had begun the plan of: "Ba-boo."

Everyone in the two children lives had come together, momentarily forgetting the war, eating, or sleeping, because when a baby makes a demand that demand refuses to be ignored. Over the course of the next three tiring days, the adults were about to go mad from sleep deprivation and the boys were about to go mad from suspense. The Order had guessed everything from shampoo to tattoos, bamboo to boo-boos and none of them were even close. It is the nature of truth that: the answers are always right there, not hiding, but ready to be found, if only one would ask the right question. As it was, none of them thought of the right question to ask.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! All day, everyday, day in, day out, baboo, baboo, baboo: what does it mean?!" Poor Mundugus Fletcher burst into tears.

That was when they realized there was nothing more the Order could do, and they sent Fred and George on babysitting duty, telling them that actually it was their mission to figure out what the boys wanted. Fred and George didn't have the slightest notion what the boys wanted, but they knew exactly what the adults wanted: a few moments of peace and quiet.

"What does that infernal 'baboo' mean?" Ginny, who was assisting them, growled.

"No clue, but I can think of a way we can find out," offered Fred.

"You can?" asked Hermione, who was also there.

"Ginny, fetch me those wooden letter blocks."

"Why?"

"Don't question my genius. Just do it." Ginny rolled her eyes, but brought the blocks.

Harry and Ron stopped screaming with anger, and began to cry with relief. At last!

"Baboo."

"Baboo!"

"Blocks? They wanted blocks? That doesn't sound anything like Baboo."

"Maybe they want to use the blocks to communicate what they want."

"How? They're children, Fred. that's preposturous!" argued Hermione. They can't even spell. They're babies."

"In body, but what if inside they're the same? What if the magic only reversed their bodies, but they're minds are still 17 and trapped inside?"

Hermione gasped. Ginny clamped her hand to her mouth as though George had uttered the foulest swear word known to man.

"George, I never thought of that. It's brilliant! But how-?" Hermione began.

"I don't know. Wouldn't it explain an awful lot though? How do Harry and Ron recognize each other. Why do they cry when they see Snape?"

"My God! Do you- do you think it's possible, Hermione?" Ginny whispered.

"I don't know," she answered staring down at the now silent boys. "But there's only one way to find out." She kneeled down onto the floor.

"Ron. Harry. Do you have a message for us?" The boys seemed to nod. "Use these blocks."

To the groups of teenagers utter and total astonishment, the babies took the blocks and began to frantically play with them. To anyone else it would just seem like two care-free infants entertaining themselves, but it was actually a dire mission.

"Hand me and 'I', Ronald."

"Harry, I need that other 'l'." The two communicated mentally for a good twenty minutes. It had been a while since they tried to spell with blocks, okay? You do it!

Suddenly, they stopped. Holding their breaths, the teens circled around them and looked and the statement created with kindergarten letter blocks.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"I think so."

"Is this possible?"

"I don't believe it!"

"What does it say?"

"It says: 'ereh llits mi'."

"Ereh llits mi?"

"Precisely."

"But what does that mean?"

"Well, it means-"

"Yes?"

"Obviously, it refers to- "

"Yes?"

"I haven't the foggiest." There was collective groan.

"Look it up. Maybe it's a spell."

Hermione consulted her trusty books. "Not that I can see."

"Maybe it's Latin."

"Nope."

"Greek?"

"Not Greek."

"Oh well, maybe the idea was a little far fetched."

"A little?"

"Come on guys! 'Maybe a 17-year-old Harry and Ron are trapped in infant bodies.' What were you thinking."

The babies began to cry.

"No don't cry boys. I think it's lovely." Hermione attempted to console them. She turned angrily to the twins. "You've insulted their creation!"

"Me?"

"Yes."

"You're the one who thinks they're stupid."

"I do not! They're very smart- BABIES. And so beautiful ones too, aren't you?"

"That's it! Don't call them beautiful. They're handsome."

"Whatever."

Harry and Ron stopped crying, Hermione, Fred and George stopped bickering. Both saw there was no point in it. World 3: Harry and Ron: 0.

Baboo had succeeded. The grown ups had offered them blocks to spell out their answer. However, once their answer had been revealed, they didn't bother to read it right side up, from where the babies were sitting. As a result, they read it right to left instead of left to right and it came out as gibberish. In fact, what they had really tried to communicate was: "I'm still here."

They were still there, and, still, no one noticed.

Amazingly, if only they thought to look from a babies point of view, then they would have understood the babies meaning. Also, if they'd bother to try it, they would have figure out a brilliant spell to turn a cumquat orange. Instead, they thought Baboo meant blocks and would soon tell the Order the same thing.

"At least we have chocolate pudding for dinner," messaged Ron.

"Is chocolate pudding going defeat Voldermort, Ronald?"

"It could."

"Ron that's it! You're bloody brilliant!"

"I am?"

"Yes!"

"Hang on. You mean you're going to try and defeat Voldermort with chocolate pudding?"

"No! We can spell it out on our high chairs. Spill the pudding and right it backwards, upside- down!"

"That's it!"

"Come on. It's has to work."

_**A/N:** Some of you came very close in the mystery of Baboo. Good guesses. I know where I'm going with this and have many other chapter ideas written down and ready to go. Thanks again and I realy, really hope you liked it! Please review!_


	11. Best Laid Schemes

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I make not profit, lay no claim, and write for fun.

_**A/N:** Thanks for all the support you guys showed in me re-newing this story idea. I'm so thrilled so many people seem to like it and there were some really amazing- and long!- reviews left for chapter 10. I can't tell you how wonderful it made me feel to hear your feedback. Better than chcoclate pudding! This chapter has some comedy (of course) and -beware- a little mush. More things from a baby point of view. Enjoy and please leave a review!_

**Chapter 11:** Best Laid Schemes

Plan C went into action. Harry spilled his chocolate pudding all over his high chair a stuck his plump little finger right in it. A seemingly baby thing to do, right? Ah, the subtle genius. Ron, a tad bit more reluctant to rid himself of his dessert in the name of science, did so as well.

Harry was carefully drawing an 'e' in his pudding. Then, he wrote an 'r'. Of course, his baby hands were no more accustomed to writing legible letters than his mouth was to forming proper vowels and consonants. In the background, Hermione and Ginny continued to bicker with the twins. By the time he got to the middle of the word "still" Hermione spotted what he was doing. She hurried over and promptly wiped his masterpiece away.

"Harry, you've made a mess." Ron's, of course, was washed away as well, much to his dismay. This was followed with a short tantrum.

"Well, if you play with your food, you get it taken away. You should have ate if you wanted it."

Later, Ron and Harry rested in the comfort of their playpen. Ron was not talking to Harry, or, should I say, not thinking to him.

"Still mad about dessert?" Harry questioned, knowing the answer.

"I wasted my pudding! It was chocolate pudding Harry. You know how I feel about chocolate...and pudding," he added as an afterthought.

"Sorry, Ron. Do you ever stop thinking about food?"

"Yes."

"Oh really. When might that be?"

"When I'm full. Of course, I'm not full right now though. Want to venture a guess as to why that might be?"

"Because you wasted your chocolate pudding?"

"Exactly!"

Ron pouted until he fell asleep. Actually, he continued pouting even in his sleep. Hermione and Ginny came to coo over how adorable it was. Meanwhile, Harry lied awake, waiting for Remus to come pick him up.

It was hours before he could hear muttering in the kitchen and, after waiting patiently for a whole 3 minutes, he figured enough was enough and began to yell for his Moony.

"Moo-ey. Moo-ey!"

"I'm here Harry bear. Shsh. Don't wake Ronald." Lupin picked him up and carried him to that god forsaken stroller; at which point, Harry began to wail frantically.

"Not this, love." Lupin begged him, but not even that could quell Harry's outrage. "It's fine. No, Molly. I'll carry him." At last the grown man acquiesced.

Harry felt a rush of gratitude and quieted instantly. Putting his head on Lupin's shoulder, he remained calm the entire way home. In fact, if not for coos in reply to his name being called, Lupin would have thought Harry was asleep.By the time they reached the Order, however, he was really asleep and good Ol' Lupin put him to bed. Only a few hours later, however, Harry woke up considerably confused.

For one thing, the last thing he could remember was laying on his Mooney's shoulder, listening to him breathe, on the knight bus. Things were still, dark, silent, and unfamiliar now. This was never how he was put to bed. There was always a nice little routine.

First, Lupin would give Harry a bath and put on his pajamas. Then, he would leave the room for a moment. When he came back, Harry would be hiding and Lupin would say: "Uh-oh. Where's the baby?"

He would then pretend to look for Harry, which Harry found rather hilarious. After looking everywhere but Harry's hiding place (Harry was still puzzled at how he always knew) Lupin would sit in the rocking chair and, covering his face, pretend to cry.

"Someone's eaten my baby! No! Boo-who. Boo-who." Harry would pop out and surprise him, they'd hug, and then Lupin would read him a story in the rocking chair. Once he got really sleepy, Lupin would place him in the crib and give him Padfoot. He would leave and turn out the light completely, leave the door cracked, a lamp on in the hall, and Harry would fall asleep.

It was scary and puzzling to all of the sudden find himself in a room alone and dark with no story. He didn't even feel Padfoot nearby. Harry began to bawl. He waited and waited. No one came. Poor Harry.

Was he lost? Had they forgotten him? Couldn't they hear his screams for help, or did they chose not to come for him? Assuming he was home, why would no one come for a crying baby? Heartless pigs! Granted it was late, and everyone was undoubtedly tired, but that was no excuse. He'd never felt so abandoned in his whole life. Baby weeping put aside, an exhausted Harry began to cry in earnest.

'I'd come for you!' Harry bawled. 'I'd come for you!'

'Please!' he begged, as his wailing intensifying. 'Are you there? Are you there? Are you okay? Have you left me? **Don't you want me anymore?** Please come hold me, I'm scared and lonely. Please come hold me,'

Unfortunately, they weren't getting it. With utmost concentration, Harry formed a full sentence: "MOO-EY! Pick-me-up!" he yelled.

Lupin burst suddenly into the room. He swept Harry into his arms, cradled him, and comforted him, trying to calm him down."What stupid parenting book told you to let him cry like that? It sounded like his poor little heart was breaking."

"That was your poor little heart." Tonks said, looking sorry all the same. Harry felt a sudden strong wave of dislike for psychiatrists. "It's alright, Harry bear. It's all right. Mean old Lupin isn't going to abandon you anymore."

Harry allowed himself to be hushed, but mostly out of tiredness. To his utter astonishment, Lupin proceeded to carry him to his room instead of putting him back in the cage- or, rather, crib. He placed Harry on his chest as he lay back in bed. The poor man was exhausted. Feeling sorry for him, Harry refrained from throwing any sort of fit. Actually, he was in for a real treat.

"I suppose I ought to make it up to you then. How about a story? You like stories."

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, well once upon a time there was a magical little wolf,"

"Ay!" Harry clapped his little hands.

"And a magical little stag,"

"Ay!"

"And a magical little dog,"

"Ay!"

"And a magical little rat."

"Ugh."

"No rat? Okay, we can leave him out of this tale. Anyway, one day, the group traveled deep into a wicked and enchanted forest in search of great adventure. They found more than the bargained for..."

Harry sighed contentedly. He vaguely wondered how he could claim to feel close to Lupin without laying upon his heart and being lulled to sleep by the rise and fall of his chest and it's gentle beating.

"I love you Harry." Lupin whispered when his tale came to an end.

"I ove uew too."

Watching from the doorway in her nightgown, Tonks snapped a quick picture of the sleeping duo. Then, sighing, she walked back down the hall.

"Too precious," she laughed, shaking her head. "Pathetic, the pair of them."

_**A/N:** If anyone out there can do fan art, as I can most decidedly cannot, I would love a picture of this scene, or any scene really. In fact, if anyone would like to humor me with some fan art of shots from this story, I would even be willing to send you a chapter before it's posted! Also, I have several ideas to go and an ending in mind, but, I'm wondering, how many chapter would you like this story to be? Please review and tell me! Thanks for reading!_


	12. Long Nights, Cold Days

**Dsiclaimer**: I don't own HP. Please see previous chapters for full disclaimer.

_**A/N:** Thank you for your patience. I have just mved into and began University, as well as switching over computers, so it took a while. I hope you enjoy and please don't forget to leave reviews!_

**I'm Still Here**

**Chapter** **12**: Long Nights, Cold Days

Harry was running down a cavernous hall as fast as his desperate legs would carry him. Even as he strained harder, he felt himself slow inexplicably down. His legs felt like they were becoming heavier and heavier until every movement took all the effort of lifting fifty pound blocks attached to his feet. He could see a fierce light behind him, growing in magnitude, and heading closer and closer with every passing, panicky minute. The heat of it upon his back was oppressing.

Before him he could see Hermione, laughing and waving at him from across the Hogwarts grounds, and then, all at once, she was no longer laugh and no longer at Hogwarts. She was doubled over in pain, crumpling upon the filthy, stone floor of Gringots. He tried to call her as her dusty shoulders shook with sobs. He could not make a sound.

He strained his lungs and throat and eventually he felt something come out. He wailed like an infant. He looked down and saw the floor rising up. No-he was shrinking. His limbs grew fatter, and wobbly. He was a baby. How could he help Hermione like this? The fire was coming. How would he escape. Looking behind him, he saw it coming faster and faster, like a snowball rolling down the hill. He tried to stand, but fell over. Again, the same thing happened. Again he wailed in misery, in pain, and in fear, for help.

It was with a sudden start that Harry then woke, still laying his Mooney's chest, though tossing and turning,. It as with fear that he registered that he was still, indeed, an infant no more able to help Hermione than in his nightmare. Still , he cried for her. Lupin had sat up and gently rustled Harry out of his terrorized sleep and was now attempting, as exhausted as he obviously was, to comfort him.

"Easy, Harry. Easy bear." The man seemed very disconcerted at Harry's continued squalling, but, alas, he could not help it. The frustration and sadness at feeling so separated and helpless had come over him again and the dream lingered around him still. He could not shake the feeling of it.

The more he cried the more Lupin tried, and failed, to pacify him. Mooney became worried as the things that normally worked, worked no longer.

"Harry, Harry, what's wrong?" Remus practically begged. "You're nappy's dry. You've eaten. You don't want warm chocolate milk. What do you need?"

Tonks reached out of no where. Her thin, warm hands were welcomed by Harry. Her softer body was more soothing. She took out her wand and pointed at him.

'What?' though baby Harry, outraged. 'She's so frustrated she's going to curse me for crying to much?!' he mentally demanded.

On the contrary, she did not curse him but charmed him. More specifically, it was a cheering charm and Harry felt its effects immediately. The next moment, he giggled. Lupin laughed, tired, but highly amused.

"You're brilliant, my dear." She leaned over, kissed him, then promptly, and without so much as a single word, turned over and went right back to sleep.

'Let's not wake her, bear, what do you say?"

Harry nodded.

'Let's you, me, and padfoot get some sleep before tomorrow. Tomorrow is a big day?'

Harry's little eyebrows shoot upwards in surprise. What was so big about tomorrow? He worried about it for a while, but not a long while. He fell asleep.

Little did he know, Harry was indeed in for a very big day. As it dawned bright and early, Harry and Lupin set in. Both were understandably exhausted and Tonks just didn't have the heart to wake them. Once she did it was a slightly hurried jostling that did the trick. Remus was astonished that she hadn't woke him earlier. She got Harry ready for the day while Remus was busy reading his self.

They ate a little French toast for breakfast, Harry with his chocolate milk and Tonks and Lupin sipped their steaming cups of morning tea. After a while, of quiet breakfast, Grimmauld place appearing deserted, things became suddenly rushed again. Harry found himself being dressed in a most peculiar fashion. It seemed it wasn't bad enough that his body was contorted, stretched, and shoved into garments, they had now taken extra measures to ensure his suffering by making the garments larger and fluffier, until he was virtually wrapped in a woolen marshmallow with as movement of his limbs completely restrained. He tried pouring and fussing, but they were in such a hurry to get out the door, they didn't even take note of it. He refrained from a full fit because he was curious to see what all the fuss was about.

As they stepped outside the front door, it became instantly apparent what all the fuss was about. It was bloody freezing out! The wind stung his face even more painfully than usual and the whole street was bright with snow. He whimpered and tucked his head down like a turtle further into his coat. Tonks covered his face with a thin blanket, but he didn't like being blinded either.

With an all together unexpected and unpleasant sensation, Harry felt them apparate. Once they arrived, the wind was calmer and Tonks removed the blinders. She was carrying him, budled up as he was, down Diagon Alley, bustling and shiny almost as much as it once was with holiday decorations everywhere. Wonderful spices were wafting through the air and red, green, gold, and silver were everywhere. Only the awnings were covered in the blanket of snow. It was truly a sight Harry cooed and reached for a dripping icicle.

Tonks and Lupin gazed at him fondly and walked toward a shop. He would have been insulted by the condescending look if it hadn't been given so lovingly. As it was, Harry behaved himself whilst Christmas shopping and was rewarded by a sampling of pumpkin fudge, a sip of cider and hot chocolate, and a candy cane stick to suck on. His hands were sticky and his breath sweet by the time the two adults came to disagreement.

"We can't keep him with us."

"I don't think it'll make much difference."

Was he a bother now? He had been really good today, for goodness sakes.

"If he comes with us, he'll see. It's absolutely out of the question!"

"Tonks, as young as Harry is I really don't think it'll make much difference if he sees what he's getting-"

But Tonks cut him off. Harry jerked his head up.

"Don't tell him! He's smart. He's listening. Not another word. Someone from the Order who hasn't had babysitting duty can watch him for a little while."

"It's Christmas Eve. Everyone's too busy."

"Not everyone."

Lupin sighed in defeat. He took Harry in his arms and gave him a look over, as inspecting for damages. Funny how often people do that to little ones.

"I better take him there. Wait here. I'll be right back. Ready Harry?"

He apparated with a loud pop. They walked up the stoop to an apartment with a black, wooden door. Lupin knocked twice, and when the door finally opened, a very harassed looking Severus Snape held it open.

'Babysitting duty?' Harry thought. 'No way! Not Snape.'

Incidentally, though he didn't know it, Snape was thinking the exact same thing.

_**A/N:** Snape-sitting anyone? hehe review and i will try to up-date sooner. Thanks for reading! _


	13. Snape's Response

**Disclaimer: **Please see previous chapters. It's not mine. Don't sue.

_**A/N:** Sorry for the wait. Most of you understand the circumstances somewhat by checking my profile, if not then check it out. It tells when I'll up-date, a little bit about the up-date, stories I am thinking of writing or posting, personal info, and much more. I hope you enjoy chapter 13. Please eave me a review so I'll know. Thanks for the reviews! They were great. Thank you also for your patience. Last, but most assuredly not least, I would like to thank black-hurt 17 in particular for creating the scene of Lupin with baby Harry with her awesome fan art. In return for her work, she was sent this new chapter early. This offer still stands for anyone interested, and I will be posting a link to the picture soon. It's so sweet._

**I'm Still Here**

**Chapter 13**: Snape's Response

"No."

Snape's response was instantaneous. Indeed, he had spoken before Tonks could even finish drawing the breath to voice her request. Harry thought it was more than a little rude, and he couldn't help but take it at least a little personally. He threw the professor a cold look comparable to the one he used when he had wind. It did not go unnoticed, and Snape threw, in return, a perfectly menacing look at Harry. Who gave mean looks to babies on Christmas Eve? Severus Snape was his own ill breed.

"Severus everyone else has had a turn and-"

"Ask Molly. I dare say she has so many running about the place she'll hardly notice one more. Besides the way that woman dotes on him I think she'd adopt him if you gave her the chance."

"I can't take him to the Weasleys. Ron's sick and Harry will catch his cold."

"Oh, what about everyone else?" The potion master actually groaned.

"What about them? They're all busy. Look I haven't even ever asked you before and I wouldn't now but-"

"Did it ever occur to you that I may be busy?"

"Of course you're busy. You're always busy. Look, I need someone to take him for an hour or so and you're the only one left so you might as well accept your fate and take-this-BABY."

Snape raised an eye brow, but took Harry without further argument.

"Here's the bag. His nappies are in there with his snacks and juice. "

"I am not-" Snape began to protest, but Tonks cut him off again.

"I'll be back shortly; so you may not need to, but just in case." She turned to leave, but hesitated on the bottom step. "Severus, do take care of will you?"

"Do you honestly think me incapable of caring for a child? How difficult can it be?"

Tonks burst into peels of laughter Harry and nearly ls her footing on the slippery, iced front stairs of Snape's home.

"Don't be so sure."

"You better get going." He snapped and retreated quickly and silently into the house as Tonks turner on the spot to do just that. Harry couldn't help but hear a small part of him calling 'Save me" bfore the black door shut with a thud.

Snapes place was every bit as dark, dank, and dusty as Harry would have imagined it. He had to say he was less than thrilled a the proposition of spending part of his Christmas Eve in this gloomy, cold London flat with Snape, but the feeling was obviously mutual, judging by the unnatural distance and odd angle at which Snape was holding Harry from him. Harry astutely observed that he was not a ticking time bomb or blast-ended screwt and therefore did not appreciate being held at arms length like one. Honestly, he wasn't going to bite Snape, peck him, spit on him, or contaminate him. He rolled his eyes.

You'd think being turned into an infant was contagious by the way Snape looked warily at him. He tried to imagine Snape being turned into a baby. He thought it might be funny, and he could giggle cutely and lighten the mood. He was surprised to find, however, that the closest he could get to a picture of baby Snape was baby bat looking creature or a smaller version of the exact same thing. It was odd really. He could not picture the man as a baby. He had to have been a baby, didn't he? Of course he did, so what did he look like then?

'Think, Harry, think hard,' he told himself.

"Don't get any ideas, Potter" Snap warned, eyeing him suspiciously. "I am NOT changing your nappy."

Now those were words one never expected to hear from his potions master. That made Harry giggle. He couldn't help it, it was quite funny. Snape was not so amused.

"What are you on about?" he demanded in a very Severus-ish way. "Look, Potter, I won't be putting up with any baby foolishness. Do you understand? You are not to enter my study, or my storage cupboard, or my bedroom or the kitchen or-well, just stay in here. Understand? Oh no. You can't, can you?" He sighed, frustrated.

Switching arms skillfully to have a better grip on Harry, Snape lit a fire in his fireplace and erected the screen around it. He then summoned a fleece drape from the back of his black couch and lay in on the floor by the fireplace. He gingerly set Harry down upon the blanket before the warming flames. Harry lay still in shock.

Rummaging through the bag, Snape produced Pa-foo, another small blanket, and a bottle of pumpkin juice. He handed these to Harry, draping the blanket over his back, and walked out of the room.

Harry soon came to the conclusion that, despite whatever Snape was thinking, he was not going to be left in the shadows of a strange house even if the alternative meant Snape keeping him company. Naturally, he began to whine and whimper. Snape came to the rescue immediately, startling Harry out of his crying.

"What's the matter with you?" Harry's watery green eyes gazed innocently up at him in response. Huffing, Snape left the room again. Harry began whimpering, louder this time, and Snape rushed back in.

"What is it?" Harry pouted in response. Clearly still not getting it, Snape went back to work in his office. He ignored Harry's feeble protests so Harry began t cry until an exasperated Snape stomped into the room looking ticked and demanding: "Is there a reason you decided to make a sound like a strangled merman or are you doing this solely to torture me?"

Once again dissatisfied with Harry's answer, he returned to his work, but not before saying: "I a working on saving you from your current state, you know? Think you could keep it down for a while or must I entertain you as well? Believe it or not Potter, everyone does not exist to amuse you."

Well, it wasn't as if Harry was asking him to dress as a jester and juggle and dance. Now that was funny, and Harry giggled wholesomely at that. Feeling much better, he began to babble to Pa-foo and help himself to a little pumpkin juice. Rolling over on his back to admire the unique ceiling, Harry caught sight of some shadow in the corner moving. Watching it intently, he fell unusually quiet, and just about the time Snape began to wonder if maybe he had escaped, Harry shrilly wailed.

Snape whisked away immediately what he was concocting and ran into the room again to find Harry getting himself up by the coffee table and screaming his little head off. Before he could demand yet another explanation the man spotted the source of the problem.

"Wicky get out of here," Severus ordered only half-heartedly.

The house elf obeyed instantly, starting to attention at being caught frightening the child.

"It's alright," Snape said picking up Harry and surprising even himself. Even more surprising still was that Harry, rather than pull his hair or something equally mischievous and hateful, clung to his black clad chest.

"It's just some dumb elf trying to frighten you. Some Gryffindor you are."

Said mini-Gryffindor calmed instantly and asked to be put back down. Snape gladly granted his request. This time, however, he turned around only to lock up his study and retrieve a book to entertain himself with.

"Tay."

"In here?" Snape asked.

Harry nodded.

"Very well you pathetic excuse for a Gryffindor." He plopped down in a chair to read. The two sat in dimly lit silence for an hour before Snape finally sighed and said, "Where is she? It's almost supper time."

Harry grunted in agreement. He reached for his bag. Snape dug in it again for a few minute before extracting a cardboard box of animal crackers, but not muggle animal crackers. These had dragons, unicorns, hippogryphs, and Phoenixes. They may have seemed immature, but he rather liked them. He vaguely wondered why Hagrid had not introduced him to them earlier. Happily taking the box Harry began munching but stopped and thought: 'Why not?'

He offered his professor a animal cracker shaped like a dragon.

"What?" asked Snape when presented with the treat. He cocked a eyebrow magnificently high and his mouth actually sort of slid involuntarily for half a moment into a grin.

"No thank you." He politely refused. Harry pushed it closer.

"Twy it."

Going against everything in his nature screaming for him to throw it on the floor, Severus Snape ate the animal biscuit, much to Harry's pleasure. While teetering precariously on the edge of a sappy moment, everything was disrupted by an urgent rapping at the door.

_**A/N:** Well, was it what you expected? Who is at the door? Animal crackers to reviewers! Just kidding._


	14. At the Door

**Disclaimer: **It's not mine.

**I'm Still Here**

**Chapter14:** At the Door

Severus went to answer said door while Harry waited quietly in the den only to hear a chorus of hushed and hurried voices carry from the main hall. His tiny brow creased in worry. What was going on out there anyway?

"Eh?" Harry grunted. He crawled towards the door only to overhear a string of harsh whispers that upset and confused him.

"Well what do you mean, they don't know what happened?"

"They are having trouble recalling much of anything. It's horrible Severus. Where is Harry? I've come to take him."

Snape moved forward, blocking Mr. Weasley's path.

"Is Ronald feeling better?"

"Hm?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"The other child? Is he still ill? Isn't that why I had to watch the brat in the first place?"

"Oh yes; somewhat anyway. Harry will just have to come home with me regardless. It's not as if you are going to take him for Christmas and with Tonks and Lupin's current state..."

'What current state?' Harry wondered. This did not sound good and Mr. Weasley looked exceeding nervous and agitated. In fact, Harry had never, even in times of dire stress, seen him so out of sorts. It put a queasy feeling in his stomach like a bad bottle.

"Of course," Snape said slowly, stepping aside. "He's in there." His long arm pointed to the den from which Harry was peeking, but he darted his head away quick enough to escape detection.

Mr. Weasley came around the corner searching the floor for Harry. Harry scooted back into the shadowy corner where the house elf had lingered to frighten him. He wasn't sure why he was hiding from Mr. Weasley. Perhaps going with him would mean something terrible had happened to Lupin and Tonks, something bad enough to keep them from coming back to collect harry like they promised.

Snape swooped down and scooped him up briskly from his hiding place and extened him unceremoniously. "Here," he said.

"Thank you." Mr.Wesley smiled and over friendly smile, and Snape actually drew Harry slowly, seemingly subcontiously back from Mr. Weasley. Did he intend to keep Harry here?

"How are you to transport him back without being detected?" Snape inquire.

" I'll be aparating, of course. Severus, I must report back or everyone will think something has happened to me too. They obviously assumed Harry was with Tonks and Lupin if they have just been attacked. They could come-"

"You'll be the next place they look." Snape retorted.

"I am taking him to Headquarters. " Mr. Weasley said with unusual fervor.

"Where?" Snape asked, still making no move to hand over Harry.

"Headquarters! Of the Order of the Pheonix!"

"Where?"

"Blast it Snape! You heard me. Give me that baby!"

"I simply asked you were Headquarters was." Snapes voice was soft, low, and dangerous. Mr. Weasley's face drained of color. He did not reply. Instead, with exceptional speed he pulled his wand and jinxed Snape. Snape all but tossed Harry aside and the two began to duel. Harry squealed in fright and retreated into the dark confines of the house.

Bursts of light, yelps of pain, and crashes of broken furniture rang from the den and baby Harry, hidden in a dark corner under a table cloth of a tea table shook and whimpered in confusion and fear. How was a baby to protect themselves? He had never felt so helpless or afraid. Was he this afraid, he wondered, when he Voldermort first attacked him as a baby?

From down the hall he heard Snape shout, "You had no orders to come here! Who are you? How dare you attack me? Speak!"

Mr. Weasley's voice laughed in reply, but it wasn't Mr. Weasley. A Death Eater had snuck in using polyjuice potion to disguise themselves as Mr. Weasley and take Harry to Voldermort, Harry surmised along with the potions master. But, unless Snape's cover had been blown, why would they attack him?

Maybe they weren't under orders from Voldermort. Perhaps they knew where Snape's loyalties really laid. It was possible that the man dressed like Mr. Weasley was not a Death Eater at all, but a trader like Wormtail had been, trying to sell baby Harry to Voldermort to save his own skin. How, Harry wondered, did they get Mr. Weasley's hair and clothes? Had Lupin and Tonks really been attacked too, or was it just Mr. Weasley? The battle in the other room intensified and whole was blown in the wall not five feet from Harry's tiny head.

He jumped in surprise, and began to cry silently as shard of wood and dust sprayed the hallway. He took great care to remain very quiet so to not give his hiding place away in case Snape fell. He considered it highly unlikely that he would, but all the same… The man disguised as Arthur Weasley's plans had been spoiled and his only hope to remain alive and undiscovered was to kill Snape. He would throw at him everything he had and he wasprobably a capable member of the Order.

If that man killed Snape and found Harry, he could give Harry to Voldermort and, if he wished, even make it look like Snape was the traitor. Of course, then there would be no need as Voldermort would come to power with Harry out of the way and the secrets of the Order in the palm of his hand. If he killed Snape and did not find Harry, how was Harry to explain to the others that there was a traitor among them? What could he do? He could not help Snape. He could not defend himself. H could not even warn his friends. His was intolerable!

Very suddenly, the house went quiet. Harry waited, entirely still, poised and waiting to hear a voice call his name but whose would it be? Several agonizing seconds drug on as he crouched, trembling, under the table. Still the house was silent. Had they both been killed? What would he do then?

Soft footstep fell on the dusty, carpeted floor, and Harry small heart pounded for all it was worth. Then it came.

"Harry?" It was Mr. Weasley. Harry pulled his legs closer to his chest and tried to breathe as quietly as possible Maybe someone would come for him soon. He hoped. He prayed.

"Come on. Mean old Snape is dead. Come with Mr. Weasley. We'll go get you some dinner to eat. I know you're hungry." At the mention of food, Harry's treacherous stomach growled in agreement.

"Come on, little baby. Want to play hide-and-seek? Ready or not, here I come… No? Ring around the Rosie. He drew back heavy curtains with a flourish to reveal nothing. Harry scooted over behind the table-just in time. He lifted it up the table cloth to reveal, again, nothing.

"Pocket full of Posies." Harry barely contained a whimper as he noticed his toes stuck on onto the carpet.

"Ashes, ashes…" With the faint sounds of a knock on the front door, an idea occurred to Harry. In a flash, he reached forward and grabbed the edge of the carpet and yanked with all his strength.

"We all-" he slipped on the carpet wrinkle and fell on flat on his back unexpectedly, knocking the wind out of him. Harry courageously leapt from his hiding place declaring with great effort at the sound of the squeak of the front door, "All fall down!"

He raced as fast as his chubby legs would carry him to the calls of "Severus?" and "Harry?" and cries of "My God!" "What happened?" It was Tonks and Lupin. They were alright. Harry teetered and swayed dangerously as he scampered towards them, nearly tipping over. With them in sight, his hopes leapt. Unfortunately, his feet did so as well, slipping in a puddle of warm blood. Feet away, Snape lay still on the floor.

"Harry?" came Lupin's concerned and puzzled voice.

"Remmy!" Harry's small, bloody hands reached up to him. Remus was clearly taken aback, and quickly drew his wand, startling Harry.

From behind him, Harry heard movement. Twitching and spitting, Mr. Weasley stumbled towards them, wand drawn. He was changing back, but into whom?

_A/N: I'm sorry to make you wait so long for a new chapter, but I have little to no time these days as I have 16 hours of classes a week, plus studying, and I'm in a play. Up-dates to all three of my current stories cannot be regular, I apologize. I will not be putting any on hiatus though, and if I decide to discontinue, I will send messages to everyone who reviews or has this story on their alerts or favorites so you will not continue to look for new chapters in vain. However, as I said, I have no plans to abandon the story. Thanks for your patience and please let me know what you thought of this chapter._


	15. The Imposter

A/N: Thanks for reviews! As I said before, I don't know how long it will be in between up-dates as I'm so busy with school, but I have not forgotten this story. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!

**Chapter 15:** The Imposter

"Expeliarmus!" Remus yelled instinctively, and the imposter's wand was thrown aside. Wide-eyed, the man in the midst of transformation threw himself into the hallway and darted desperately away. Tonks tore after him, as Remus leapt forward to pick up Harry. Cleaning the baby's hands of blood and shushing him, he knelled to check Snape for a pulse. "Innerverate."

Severus gasped and tried to sit up.

"No, not so fast." Remus deterred him. "You've just had quite a blow."

"I'm fine!" Snape snapped, brushing Remus' hand away, frustrated, and getting to his feet. "Arthur Weasley-" he blurted immediately.

"He's not Arthur." Remus cut him off. "Whoever it is has taken a Polyjuice potion."

"I should have known!" He said vehemently.

"You obviously did at some point, or he would not have attacked you."

"Is Harry alright?" Snape asked, almost pained to say it.

"He seems to be fine."

"Who was it?"

"We'll see in a minute. Does this wand look familiar to you?" He asked Severus, handing over the discarded wand. The man's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

Tonks?" Lupin called down the hall in response to a crash in another room.

"I got him Remus!" She grunted from said room. They followed the ruckus that led them to a library where Tonks had cornered a furious looking young man. Both of their mouths were bleeding at it looked as though there had been a scuffle. She had her wand trained on him. Harry pointed his finger at the intruder and shouted: "Al-oy!"

It was, indeed, Malfoy, though not the one any of them had expected. Draco threw furtive glances around the room in which he was now trapped as they closed in upon him. Snape spoke first.

"Draco." Wasn't that just what he just said, Harry wondered.

"Professor."

"This is quite possibly the most foolish thing you have ever done, and that is saying something."

"Tonks, are you alright?" Lupin asked concernedly.

"I'm fine," she answered, still glaring at Malfoy.

"I suppose you had better give in, boy. We've got your wand now. There's no getting away." Snape warned him.

Draco sighed and, with the utmost reluctance, stepped forward with his hands raised.

Tonks was the first to approach him, grabbing him by the collar.

"Get your hands off me!" he growled in protest.

"Ha!" scoffed Tonks in outrage. "If it were Voldermort you had been caught by, you'd be far more uncomfortable than this!" She pulled him towards the door.

Severus and Remus followed, wands trained upon him. As Draco passed Lupin, he remarked: "So it's true then? Harry Potter is a baby after all. Finally, the form fits the mind."

"Shut up!" Tonks shoved him forward roughly. Harry's tiny eyes glared into Draco's adolescent ones. Draco glared back before moving on.

"I'll accompany you to the Order." Snape said grabbing his traveling cloak, nose still bleeding.

"The Order of the Phoenix? I'm being taken to the real Order headquarters?" Malfoy was nothing short of ecstatic at the news, clearly itching to be able to report this back to his master.

"To decide how you're going to be dealt with!" Tonks snapped, manhandling him again and prodding a wand in his face for emphasis.

"Severus I don't think you-" Lupin began, but this time Snape interrupted him.

"He was in my charge. He attacked me. There are certain things we need to know..." Snape trailed off, his meaning clear. If Malfoy knew Snape was here alone with Harry, that meant so did someone else. Was it safe for Snape to return should Voldermort call him? How long did they have to question Draco before his absence was noticed? There was no time to loose.

"We should go by Floo. Faster, less chance of an attack." Lupin offered.

"I'll send a message ahead of us to headquarters." Tonks said.

"Best send one to Molly and Arthur as well. We'll need everyone there. Let them know we'll be having a surprise Christmas guest."

"Could we get a move on already?" Snape snapped, wiping more blood from his face.

Tonks sent her patronus and, in silent agreement, the hodge-podge group clambered into the large main fireplace and disappeared into leaping green flames.

As they tumbled out of the fireplace at Grimmauld place, Harry wondered why no one had wondered why he had recognized Malfoy. If ever there was a golden opportunity for them to realize he was still inside his tiny body that was it. And they hadn't even noticed. He supposed though, they had a lot else on their minds.

Within moments of their arrival, The Weasley hoard, along with Hermione, came to a stumbling stop on the kitchen hearth of Number 12 and gasped in shock at what Harry was sure must have been a highly unusual sight. At the table a very confused and conflicted looking Draco Malfoy was bound to a chair, Lupin standing over him with a wand pointed in his face. Snape was being mended by Tonks on the other end of the table. Rather, she was trying to mend him and he was trying to have none of it. All the while, a very hungry little Harry sat in his high chair in between, smudges of blood on his face.

Mrs. Weasley screamed.

"What's happened to him? What's happened to Harry? Is he alright?"

"He's fine Molly." Lupin quickly reassured her.

"Isn't that blood?" asked Hermione, equally worried.

"Not his."

"Then whose is it?" Mr. Weasey wondered aloud. The three of them, Lupin Tonks and Severus, began relating what each knew of what had happened at Spinners End to the Order, restarting the story every time another member entered and gasped. Soon enough, everyone had arrived and the group had managed to put together all the pieces-except one.

"But if Snape was out for few minutes and Harry was alone in the house with Malfoy," Hermione began, "Then, how did he-"

Harry wanted dreadfully to explain his terribly clever role in his own survival, but the crowd turned rudely to Malfoy instead he, who told them, "He was hiding."

'No! I tripped you, you lying son of a-"

"Malfoy!" Hermione addressed him for the first time, and with surprising bitterness in her usually sweet voice. "How very brave of you. Very brave indeed! Coming after a baby. Oh how did you manage it?" she mocked him.

"Shut up, Granger."

"Watch it Malfoy." Lupin pressed his wand into Draco's neck and watched him squirm. Just then, Kreacher came skulking into the kitchen and Draco burst out: "Kreacher! Kreacher!"

"Young master Malfoy!" Kreacher looked as it were Christmas. Well, Harry remembered, it was.

"Kreacher." Lupin looked as though Christmas had been canceled, which, Harry dearly hoped, it had not.

"Get out of here, Kreacher!" Lupin commanded.

"Stupid beast." Kreacher mumbled aloud to himself. "Thinks he can tell old Kreacher what to do, but he is not Kreacher's master, oh no. Kreacher's master is dead! Dead! And a child is to be poor Kreacher's master! A child!"

Harry was the only one who could command Kreacher to leave the room, or forbid him to speak to Malfoy, he realized. 'Uh-oh.' He thought.

"Help me Kreacher! Help me!" Malfoy pleaded shamelessly.

"Despicable blood traitors…tying up young Mr. Malfoy like a prisoner…"

'I must do something!' Harry thought urgently.

"Harry, say something!" Hermione appealed desperately to him.

"Kreacher untie me!" Malfoy urged.

"Stop him, Harry!" Hermione cried.

"Harry," Tonks turned to him. "Say 'no', Harry. Come on Harry, say the word." Harry tried to form the words with his mouth, really he tired, but the unfamiliar sound just would not come out properly.

"Remember that time Harry," Lupin pressed. "Remember when I tried to make you eat mashed beats? Over and over I tried to make you eat them and finally you said-"

That was it!

"Noooo!" Harry pointed a small, chubby finger at the house elf who stopped dead in his tracks.

The room went dead silent. Slowly, Kreacher began to retreat. Flabbergasted, the Order exchanged looks and stared at Harry. Could this be it? Could they finally get it?

"Owt!" Resentfully the house elf exited, leaving behind a panicked Malfoy.

"Good job Harry bear." Tonks commended him, rewarding him with an animal cracker.

'What-is-this?' Harry's look clearly said, or would have had anyone been paying attention!

The interrogation of Draco commenced. It was lengthy, but not that difficult, as he gave up information easily with only a little prodding. He alone, fortunately, had believed Snape was on the side of the Order, which he gathered from Snape's persistent nudge in the right direction and his mad aunt's ranting. He figured at best he would discover a traitor and be rewarded with a higher place in the Dark Lord's circle, at least find baby Harry there, and at worst invite Snape to his family Christmas dinner. Harry was actually fairy impressed by Malfoy's suspicious intelligence. At the end of his story, the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. It appeared Snape was not doomed. However, the inevitable had happened. Somehow, Voldermort had discovered Harry's condition.

"Well, what to do with _him_ then?" Tonks asked darkly. Draco grimaced. There was a thoughtful silence which was ended by Snape's slow draw.

"I suppose we should keep him here for the time being. We can't be sure…" Lupin nodded in agreement.

"Keep me here? You can't be serious!" Draco protested.

"Oh shut up you!" Tonks replied, clearly still ticked about earlier.

'Happy Christmas indeed!' Harry thought. He was an infant to be dressed up in reindeer pajamas and be joined in his Christmas morning festivities by none other than Draco Malfoy.

_**A/N:**__ Sounds like fun? You have no idea... Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you thought and all that jazz in a review. As always, thanks for reading!__Plan to update fairly soon with my time off._


	16. A Child's Christmas

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. This story is written for entertainment only. I have only respect for J.K. Rowling's imagination. Please, don't sue.

**I'm Still Here**

**Chapter 16:** A Child's Christmas

_**A/N:** I know, no where near Christmas time, but I find March is the perfect time for Christmas cheer. Hope you enjoy!_

The next morning, someone pulled Harry from his crib at what he considered an unreasonably early hour. On top of that, the hallway was very chilly and his reindeer p.j.s weren't exactly doing the trick, even with the grip footies. They carried him happily down stairs to the kitchen where he was bombarded with hugs, kisses, and happy wishes in a warm crowd of people all sipping happily on Christmas ale, sherry, hot cocoa, eggnog and cider. It was like being inside a giant ginger bread house. He had never seen the kitchen so done up and it looked wonderful. There were tiny ice sculptures on the table, mistletoe and holly hanging from the ceiling where the chandelier was lit with red and green candles, and snow was wafting down. The table was littered with cups and plates neatly arranged for the meal that was to follow. Harry could already smell it cooking.

Harry had forgotten how much fun it could be to tear into a present wrapped in bright paper, ribbons, and bows. Shamelessly, he giggled and clapped his hands with glee, to the great pleasure of everyone else in the room. That was quite a lot people! Everyone from the Order had joined the festivities, which was a first. Even Snape was there. He supposed food and safety being scarce the Order was the best place of refuge in these times and everyone celebrating together would help to lighten up the dark times they seemed to be trapped in these days. He seemed out of place here, dressed in black sipping cider quietly in a corner. Hermione sat near him, talking quietly and sipping her sherry. Draco looked even more out of place, bound by invisible ropes to a chair, watching the quaint gathering with arrogant disdain evident on his face. Even Mafoy couldn't put a damper on Christmas! Harry returned to his gift opening intently as Lupin, upon whose lap he was sitting, bellowed with laughter at his efforts. Harry didn't mind. Once he got the hang of it the gift can open pretty quickly. Hermione had gotten him two books: a collective work of muggle Grim's Fairy Tales and a collective work of wizarding Children's Tales. She promised to read them to him later. Tonks and Lupin had gotten him what's called a rocking broom, a tiny broom a child sits on that rocks back and forth magically like a rocking horse. Then came Mrs. Weasly's gift. Within seconds Harry was enveloped in a tiny emerald sweater, hand knitted courtesy of Mrs. Weasley. This time the letter "h" in the center was a lower case. Along with these, for the amount of yarn it took to make them equaled that of a regular sized sweater, was a pair of matching mittens. Atop his head was plopped a green hat, complete with ear flaps and top ball. To finish it off, someone slipped on matching booties onto his kicking feet. The outfit was so unbearably cute that someone whipped out a magical camera. Harry couldn't complain though; at least it was very warm.

While everyone else unwrapped loads of candy, Harry un-wrapped soft blankets, chew toys, countless teddy bears, rattles, and other bits and bobs people have misinterpreted as forms of entertainment. At least Ron was there to share in his disappointment. Harry dusted some magic snow flakes of the top of his head as Ron said: "What a haul this year, eh?"

"Oh yeah," agreed Harry with equal sarcasm. "It's just what I've always wanted: new nipples." Ron looked at him oddly and giggled. Harry joined in and soon the two were rolling.

"Look they're so enjoying Christmas!" squealed Tonks in excitement. Everyone laughed with them, which only made them laugh harder, as no one was in on the joke.

Harry and Ron sat under the Christmas tree smelling the cooking feast, ease dropping in on the adult conversations, and watching everyone enjoy themselves or once. They couldn't help but smile in the midst of all the attention, bright paper, snowy decorations, cheerful company, and approaching food.

Fred and George arrived by Floo a little late and there was cheer of greeting that rose throughout the room that they returned with merry shouts of "Happy Christmas!". Surprisingly, they went straight for Harry and Ron to whom they offered another package. The boys opened them eagerly. Unwrapping was, after all, most of the fun.

They smiled in delight at what they uncovered this time. They were pacifiers and a bottle, but they had the Weasley emblem on them so he could not be only pacifiers and a bottle of course.

"It's part of our new line."

"Prank toys for kiddies."

"The part you suck on is candy flavored."

"And this bottle doesn't have a whole in the nipple-nothing comes out."

"But if you squeeze it…"

"Bam! It get's whoever is above you right in the eye." The twins laughed. Harry and Ron exchanged mischievous looks.

Hermione came over as the masses invaded her corner in a attempt to get at the food. She knelled down by the boys.

"Happy Christmas you two." She picked them up, and, putting one on each knee, kissed the soft tops of their heads. They clutched her hands and tried to tell her Happy Christmas but just babbled. She laughed anyway and sighed sadly. Poor Hermione. Harry bet she was scared. He bet she felt awful not being able to help and lonely not being able to talk to her friends. If only he could make her feel a little better… Snape too came over to escape the crowd around the buffet table.

"Happy Christmas." He offered Hermione. Ron and Harry looked up at him in surprise.

"Happy Christmas." She returned. "Thank you for joining us." He nodded in response.

"I think they are having fun." She looked down at them. "I thought it might be nice for them. Harry had so few Christmases and Ron's were always so crowded… I thought they might enjoy themselves."

Ron and Harry looked at each other. That was awfully nice of Hermione, but why did she sound so sad. "I suppose it was the least I could do. I suppose at least this way I'd get to spend Christmas with them. Besides everyone could use a nice party, don't you think?" Snape grunted.

Hagrid lumbered over, having had enough to drink already, cheery faced as Santa Claus and grinning twice as broadly.

"Happy Christmas Harry! Happy Christmas Ron!" He handed them to poorly wrapped presents in brown paper which they happily unwrapped, amusing Hemrione and Hagrid. Ron's was a stuffed lion that growled when you squeezed it and or Harry there was a toy hippogryph that flew around in circles and grazed on the ground. They began playing with the toys immediately as a laughing Hagrid went to get some more ale. Their corner under the tree fell silent again until Hermione spoke.

"It's a nice party anyway, isn't it?"

Snape seemed distracted. He didn't indicate he'd heard. Hermione began crying, softly. Snape looked up. He crossed to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She stopped crying.

"It's time for a Christmas toast!" announced a beaming Mr. Weasley as glasses were raised and everyone stood.

"Yes, yes!" agreed a jovial looking Lupin. Harry had never seen him look so young.

"To family and friends, both with us and not."

"Here! Here!" Remus conceded.

"To the Order of the Phoenix and Albus Dumbledore!" added Kingsley.

"Horrah!" everyone agreed.

Two years ago it had been to him, Harry Potter, to whom the toast was made- just a boy, but one they thought of as a hero and a friend.

As I reading his mind, a voice behind him said quietly: "To Harry Potter." A voice said quietly, and his eyes widened in surprise. It was Snape. "Who may save us yet." From his inside coat pocket he produced a small velvet box and handed it to Harry. Harry's little hands struggled to open it as the room waited breathlessly. Inside was a glass vial containing a reddish orange potion. Hermione uncorked it.

"Wait!" Lupin shouted, making everyone jump. "Are you sure this one will work? What if has some dreadful unwanted effect?"

Snape gave him an odd look and said slowly, "We agreed that was a risk that we must take, otherwise we would have no choice but to wait until-"

"And what if we do wait? Didn't any of us ever stop to think maybe that wouldn't be so bad? Think of all Harry missed in life, what we missed of him, we could have it all back." Everyone was staring at Remus now, some with understanding, some with worry.

"What are you talking about Lupin? I understand you all like having your baby Harry back and I'm well aware of his sad loss of childhood, but there are more important things at stake here than just that."

"What more important things? We're talking about Harry here. Harry. He's not just some scapegoat or hero or savior. Is that all we're concerned about, his purpose? Some of us here actually care about him more ways than that!"

"Don't be ridiculous Lupin! I am not suggesting that this boy is our only hope as many in the wizarding world, but like it or not the Dark Lord is one of those people. As such, leaving him like he is would only make it all the easier for the Dark Lord to get to Harry."

"Harry defeated him once as an infant!"

"Because of Lilly!" Sanpe was angry now, and his voice showed it in a very Snape manner.

"Any of us would die to protect him again!" Oh if only Harry could speak for himself! In a way it was like childhood he had never had, but this was just not the time and place for that life- he needed to be more than that.

"And I'm sure that's what Potter wants-to be the cause of death of all his loved ones. Don't you think he's lost enough?"

"That's enough." Hermione took everyone by surprise by bringing their heated debate to an end. She tipped the vial to Harry's lips and, with absolute trust, drank it.

To the expectant crowd Snape said, "We'll know if it worked in the morning. It should take twelve hours for the process to complete. If it worked safely, then I have more in my stores for Ronald." That was settled. Harry felt no different, but, he supposed, he wouldn't yet. Ginny took Ron to the table to eat Hermione put him in his high chair beside her.

"Ermy." Harry offered, getting himself a teary smile.

As everyone took their seats, Draco was scooted close to the table between Lupin and Harry. "Are you hungry dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked him. Mouth clearly watering, he nodded. "Here, let me help you." She undid his bonds and he looked at her taken aback.

"Molly what are you doing?" McGonagall asked.

"He's not going to make a run for it surrounded by the entire Order without a wand nor a clue where he is, is he? Besides, it's Christmas." She smiled at him, like she would smile a Harry only with more caution. Gulping as though swallowing a large slug, Draco actually managed a small, "Thank you."

The mashed potatoes and peas were delicious, but Harry's favorite part was the pies and the puddings. Hermione filled Harry until he thought his little gut may burst and then she ate her own food. Feeling very much in the Christmas spirit and knowing no one would ever know it was a conscious decision, Harry generously offered Malfoy a bite of his cinnamon roll, making several people laugh. An embarrassed looking Malfoy took the entire roll quickly with a simple thanks, leaving Ron in stitches.

"Ginny don't let him eat anymore. He'll make himself sick." Ms. Weasley said, watching baby Ron stuff his face. Harry laughed. Looking around, he took it all in. This may be his last Christmas as a baby. 'So this is what it was like,' he thought to himself. In spite of all the frustrations this was the first time he had really enjoyed being baby again and it produced his fondest Christmas memory. It may also be, he did not deny, his last. Snape was right. He could not allow everyone to fall before him. It was a destiny he chose. But now was a time to be merry.

He was suddenly distracted from his musings by Tonks' cry of: "Harry! What's wrong with him?" He did not hear anything after that.

_**A/N:** Couldn't end this without a cliff-hanger, but I hope you enjoyed it! It was a faster update and a longer than usual! Leave a review and I'll up-date again soon. Just a few chapters to go…_


	17. A Very Good Question

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

_A/N: I am so very sorry for the massive delay. Originally planned to make this the last chapter but due to your enthusiasm I am extending it. I'm sorry I did not find time to reply individually to each of you but thank you so, SO much for your wonderful review, support, and above all patience. Thank you!_

**I'm Still Here!**

**Chapter 17**: A Very Good Question

Harry awoke to find himself in the arms of Remus, who was silently weeping. Tears fell on Harry's soft head.

"Moo?" he asked carefully, and Remus started in surprise. He looked down at Harry in pure disbelief and suddenly burst into tears, clutching him tightly. Harry did not move nor make a sound. He was very, very confused. What had happened and what was wrong with Lupin? He wondered perplexedly until Remus leapt up and exclaimed "He's alive!"

'Well, of course I'm alive.' Harry thought rather confoundedly.

Tearfully Remus was hugging him, squeezing him actually. The pressure on his midsection was tremendous. He wiggled to get loose but Remus only held him tighter. Harry thought he felt his lungs condense. Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and Snape ran into the room, stumbling over one another. Harry had the feeling of being a dinner dish, happily passed from one person to the other and being fiddled with.

"He's smaller than he was a little while ago isn't he?" asked Hermione in a near gasp as observant as ever.

"Yes, and lighter." Lupin conceded, amazed.

"What exactly did that potion do Severus?"

"It brought him back to the age he was a couple of months ago when we first witnessed the effects of Lord Voldemort's curse."

"Why?" Tonks demanded blankly. Everyone else looked equally confused.

"Simple," explained Snape, looking bored now that he wasn't at fault for killing the boy who lived. "Now I know how to concoct a potion that will affect the aging process he's undergoing. The only thing remaining is-"

"How to affect it the right amount!" finished Hermione excitedly. Snape looked rather annoyed. Perhaps he wanted to say that part. It was a very important part or his plan no less. Harry might have felt sorry for him if he were not highly distracted by the force being applied, once again, to his abdomen. He was pleased to see Hermione looking so hopeful but this squeezing business was about to damage his internal mushy bits. He whined.

"Sorry Harry bear, didn't mean to squish you." In unison Draco and Snape rolled their eyes and excused themselves from the presence of the fawning, admiring crowd.

"So this means we are finally getting close." Hermione smiled. She was much prettier when she did that. Harry had almost forgotten.

"Closer." said Tonks with notes of caution and excitement in her voice.

Although he didn't know he was supposed to be dead, Harry found himself pretty thrilled to be alive again. It was a bit exciting. A bit too exiting.

"Oh…" Fred grumbled handing him over. Molly giggled.

"I'll change him." Sighed Remus. Good Ole Remus to the rescue. Harry had always liked that man but he felt closer to him now than he ever had before, his parents' last remaining friend. He had so much he wanted to ask him about them he had forgotten to ask about himself. He was kind, gentle, and very patient. He had a straight back, an honest way, a strong work ethic, and big heart. His laugh was not as infectious as Sirius' had been, but his smile was one of a kind. Harry found himself smiling back as he looked up at him from the changing station.

Look at this Tonks," he called softly. "He's smiling really big for such a little guy."

"Bless him." She laughed, grabbing Harry's foot playfully. Lupin had definitely given him something no one else had ever been able to, a chance to see what having parents might have been like. He did not even know it.

'One day,' Harry thought. 'This guy is going to make an awesome dad.'

"Da!" Harry shouted at him enthusiastically. Remus' smile disappeared.

"No pup, I'm not your Da. That's him." He pointed to a picture on Harry's mantel. His dad's familiar face smiled back at him and waved. Still grinning, Harry persevered. "Da!" she shouted, pointing at the photo.

"That's right," said Lupin happily.

"Da!" Harry said again, this time pointing at Lupin. He sighed resignedly, eyes twinkling like Dumbledore.

"Sure, why not?" he said lifting Harry. "You're a clever little guy, aren't you?" he asked, curiosity audibly aroused.

'Oh please,' Harry rolled his eyes thinking 'That's what I thought about you.' He cooed contentedly as Remus sand him to sleep in has basinet, something Irish sounding, vaguely familiar. "Your mother used to sing that to you." He whispered as Harry drifted off.

Harry woke to being pulled from his bed by a downright cheerful acting Hermione. They rushed downstairs.

"Careful with him, Hermione." Mrs. Weasley reminded her.

"I am!" she called over her shoulder. Harry quite enjoyed the day after Christmas as well, the good mood of his not death was uplifting. He very much enjoyed watching the adults attempt dancing the mambo playing from the record Bill got for Christmas. He was glad he could watch amusedly from the sidelines rather than look like an idiot for joining in. He and Ron attempted to bang rhythmically on their high chairs to the beat. Hermione picked up Ron and began to dance with him He squealed with glee. An Irish jig came on and everyone joined in. A bored looking Draco, never one keen on being left out, picked up Harry cautiously, as if picking up a baby dragon. Harry was unsure if he should call for help until he found himself bobbing up and down like an apple. No one- and he meant no one- could ever know he had danced with Draco Malfoy.

Too late, Ron spied him and dissolved into hopeless giggles so serious he developed the hiccups. Good for you, thought Harry vehemently. The dancing did not last long but it was enough to make him blush furiously. Naturally they thought he was just flushed.

'Shove it Ron!' he thought at his best friend. 'I see Hermione finally asked you to dance.' Ron wasn't so unbearable after that. The music stopped abruptly and they were all caught by a dark looking Snape.

"We do have work to do, do we not?" he asked slowly as dripping honey, poisoned honey.

"Oh, come now Severus. Where is your Christmas cheer?"

"It isn't Christmas. Perhaps that nasty storm outside blew it away."

"Humbug!" teased Fred. Snape raised an eyebrow menacingly. Fred gulped and looked apologetically his way before making himself scarce.

"Morning Severus," offered Molly. "Care for a cup of coffee?"

"No thank you. We really must be going. There was an attack this morning."

"Oh my."

"Where?" asked Lupin, in a fresh seriousness.

"The Ministry of Magic. Certain _artifacts_ were removed."

There was a bustle and flurry of movement and then the house was quite deserted save Mrs. Wealey, Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ron.

"Well this should certainly be fun!" said Draco glumly. If he only knew how right he truly was…

"Watch them while I go check on the potion."

"What?!"

"Just do it."

"How do you know I won't kill them while you're out of the room."

"Do you have a suicide wish?" she asked, wand suddenly in his face.

"No."

"Good. I'll be back in a few minutes. How much trouble can they cause in a few minutes?"

'That' thought Ron to Harry. 'Is a very good question."

_A/N: I haven't done this in a while so I hope you found that chapter enjoyable. As I said, I'm sorry for the wait and I do not plan on the next up-date taking that long. Please leave a review! Thanks to everyone for reading._


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